2d4chan - User contributions [en]

Doctor Who

2019-01-03T09:00:13Z

2601:147:4300:1949:4C42:217F:C3F4:4E3: /* The Doctors */

[[Image:tardis.gif||center]]

'''Doctor Who''' is a long-running (and we do mean ''long''; it predates [[Star Trek]]) British science-fiction television show. And it is ''glorious''. The Doctor, an immortal/regenerating alien that has been portrayed by a variety of actors since the show's inception, travels through space and time in a <s>1960s-era police box</s> super-advanced, living spaceship called a TARDIS. Joined by a variety of companions (mostly female), he solves kinks in time and sees the wonders of the universe. It's also famous for the various monsters it created, most notably the Daleks (cyborg [[Imperium of Man|space Nazis]]) and the Cybermen (cyborg [[Tau|space Communists]])...and especially, the Silence and Weeping Angels.
'''Don't blink!'''

==The Show==
Doctor Who is the longest ongoing sci-fi series in the history of television. It started in 1963 and ran until 1989 where it was temporarily frozen. It attempted a restart with a 1996 movie, but the circumstances were not yet ripe. The show finally started again in 2005 and is currently still running. Throughout this history the show has maintained the same continuity, thanks to the fact that the main protagonist The Doctor (aka Doctor Who) is an alien capable of "regeneration" upon the time of death or when he grows old. This rejuvenates and replaces all the cells in his body, effectively changing his appearance and somewhat his mannerisms and personality (because it also changes the brain). In this way, the series has been able to continue with different actors without resorting to "remakes" or "reimaginings" or "spinoffs" like Star Trek or Battlestar Galactica. There were a couple of unsuccessful attempts at making spinoffs (One during the original run and one more recently, both based on the rather twee K-9 the tin dog), and two more successful, the recent Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures (cancelled during its fifth year due to the death of the lead actress). Torchwood is Doctor Who with a large dose of GRIMDARK (if you're a horny 12 year old and just comedy for those who aren't, Children of Earth is when Torchwood becomes worth watching), along with a literally immortal lead character with a Charisma score so high that Alpenhorn-mancers turn gay for him within a sixteen mile radius. Everyone is gay for Captain Jack Harkness. He even has a [[Harkness_Test|sexuality test]] named after him.
[[Image:10doctors.jpg|The first 10 actors who portrayed the character onscreen from 1963-2013, clockwise from top-left.|right]]
The show is heavily episodic, with the Doctor travelling through time and space in his TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension(s) in Space) and landing in different historical periods on Earth and elsewhere in the universe, often when there is some sort of trouble or disturbance nearby. The Doctor protects the flow of history, preventing paradoxes and manipulations and attempts to stop evil and violence everywhere. This gains him the enmity of his own race, the Gallifreyan Time Lords who have pledged to use their time-travelling technology only to observe but not interfere. Even so they often ask the Doctor to act on their behalf. The time lords got a bit shit towards the end of the original run, and were unceremoniously killed off en masse during the gap between the original and new runs in an offscreen "Time War".

The show has become iconic in British culture and science fiction fandom around the world for many reasons, amongst them:

*Having been around for fucking ever. Even if you were born during the window when Dr Who was not being made, the chances are you remember it from re-runs or carefully archived bootlegged copies made by [[Neckbeard|that one uncle you had]] (No, not that one).
*Cheesy low budgeted effects and monsters which gave the show a special charm and made it rely on story instead of flashy visuals.
*The TARDIS machine which has a "chameleon circuit" which allows it to change external appearance to fit into different environments where it "lands", its inside is much bigger than the outside, potentially infinite, thanks to the space-time technology it uses. The Doctor's TARDIS got its chameleon circuit busted and is permanently stuck in the iconic shape of a 60's British Police Box. And when we say iconic we mean ''the British police have to ask Doctor Who before they can use its likeness'', not the other way around.
*The character of The Doctor and his eccentric figure, with his alien traits like regeneration and a double heart.
*The show has been known to be aimed at a younger audience but scare them at the same time, so "hiding behind the sofa" has become a phrase connected to it.
*It also retains a big following amongst older fans because its two-sided nature; it is largely easy-going, tongue-in-cheek and comical but often turns to darker and serious tones, with good storytelling.
*Comical yet fearsome enemies like the Daleks (Genocidal [[Nazi]] Pepper-pots with death rays and the best E-VIL VOI-CES E-VER while exterminating FUCKING EVERYTHING, think of the already-overpowered and omnicidal [[Necron]]s mixed with Nazis and turned up to 11 billion), Sontarans (Huge domed heads, eyebrows and foreheads of a 4e [[Tiefling]]-basically Mr. Potato Head), Autons (Shop Dummies of Death), Weeping Angels (Scared the shit out of children everywhere, don't ever blink) and memorable "supervillain" antagonists like The Master, a rival Time Lord, and the ever-wrinkly Davros, who's basically Palpatine, the Joker, Honsou, Abaddon, Trayzn the Infinite, Asdrubael Vect, & Kheradruakh the Decapitator all rolled into one.
*Hiding behind the sofa from the aforementioned Daleks was such a common event in the lives of several decades of children that the phrase "Hiding behind the sofa" has entered [[Britfag]] slang as a slightly tongue-in-cheek way of saying "Scared shitless".
*Various toys, gadgets and gags the Doctor uses, including a 'Sonic Screwdriver' tool and the use of Jelly Babies candy to distract or bribe people.
*The theme tune. You know it, you love it. Yes you do, stop lying.
*Not being your average Science-Fiction story. While many normal Space Opera-style Sci-Fi stories are samey and bland, Doctor Who has practically every kind of adventure imaginable taking place. From dinosaurs on a space ship to gas-masked zombies (who are creepy as all Hell) to literally going to hell, Doctor Who has it all.

==The Doctors==
[[Image:Doctor_Who_alignments.jpg|250px|thumb|right|But compared to anyone else besides himself he is irrevocably Chaotic Good]]
Originally the Doctor could only regenerate 12 times, resulting in 13 different versions of himself (12 because David Tennant once managed to regenerate into himself) but during the 2013 Christmas special he managed to restart a new cycle (something that the Timelords offered The Master in The Five Doctors all the way back in 1983.). He is currently in his 12th incarnation (13th counting John Hurt who doesn't get an official number for watch-the-damn-show reasons), meaning that he's had thirteen official actors so far. That's most of them around that logo, starting top-left and not including Matt Smith, John Hurt, Peter Capaldi, or Jodi Whittaker. Man, it might be time to update that thing, innit?

*William Hartnell (1963-1966): A mysterious grumpy old professor. Didn't like to have humans tag along with him, but changed his mind after a while. Extremely intelligent (like all Doctors, duh), but also short-tempered. And a pretty good fighter, despite being old: Once beat up a big man in fisticuffs, while laughing. The Daleks and Cybermen were introduced during his time. (Evidently, he is a fan of 40k. Duncan got a request to paint flayed wracks from him, even though he's been dead for more than a few years.)
* Patrick Troughton (1966-1969): A cosmic hobo. Likes music, and plays recorder. More of an anti-authority figure than his predecessor. Looked like a total idiot, made his enemies underestimate him, and ran away quite a lot. It was also during his time that his race, the Time Lords, was first introduced. At the end of Troughton's run they banished him from Gallifrey for breaking the [[Star Trek|Prime Directive]], and forced him to regeneration as punishment.
* Jon Pertwee (1970-1974): A gentleman and a dandy. Spend a lot of time stuck on Earth, thanks to his stupid race putting him into exile. Could do Venusian Aikido and liked fast cars. The Master, his arch-nemesis and a fellow Time lord, was introduced: He tried to conquer the world with plastic chairs! We're not kidding.
* Tom Baker (1974-1981): The bohemian, a total weirdo, who liked candy and had an extremely long, very colorful scarf. Very good in playing a fool: No one could be as stupid as he seemed. Could switch from manic to serious in a single moment. The most well-known Doctor, probably due to his long tenure. Davros, the creator of the Daleks and a total maniac, was introduced.
* Peter Davison (1981-1984): Pretty much the complete opposite of his predecessor. Very much human, very noble, liked cricket. Was the youngest actor in the role, until Matt Smith some 25 years later. Some people hated him just for replacing Tom Baker. People died a ''lot'' during his time: Sometimes there was literally no one left but him and his companions - or, in case of his last story, only his companion. Is the father-in-law of David Tennant (Tenth Doctor).
* Colin Baker (1984-1986): An unstable maniac. More violent than the rest of his incarnations put together. The whole show became bloodier during his time. Thought he was awesome, despite always wearing that awful coat. Generally regarded as being the worst Doctor, at least in the TV shows, but became much more awesome in the audio.
* Sylvester McCoy (1987-1989): Started like a goofy wacky fellow, but became more serious later on. Seemed like a god walking among lesser people, and could probably out-manipulate Tzeentch. During his time, they started to turn onto some big questions, like who the hell the Doctor actually ''is'', but then the show got cancelled. Bummer.
* Paul McGann (1996): A romantic. Told people to make the best use of their limited time on this world and embrace their lives instead of being all emo and crying in a corner. But he also stated that he was half-human, which is a lie. The books and audio fleshed him out a bit. Too bad his movie didn't do well enough in America to spawn a new series (damn you America!).
* John Hurt (''secret bonus Doctor'', 2013): The Doctor as he was fighting in the Time War, known by some as the "War Doctor". In setting chronology, this incarnation fits between McGann's and Eccleston's, but due to committing some horrible war crimes in order to end the Time War, he denied himself the title of "the Doctor" and later regenerations refused to acknowledge his existence; so much so that Matt Smith's version is still referred to in-universe as the Eleventh Doctor, even in mysterious prophecies, despite technically being the twelfth incarnation. He was seen only briefly in the finale of season 7 played a major role in the 50th anniversary special, and had a set of audio adventures, but probably won't be seen again (RIP, John).
* Christopher Eccleston (2005): The only survivor of the horrible Time War, which will never be fully shown, but we have seen parts of. All the other Time Lords died in it ([[Just As Planned|or did they?]]). Dark and moody, probably because of the survivor's guilt, tended to hide it behind a horribly manic and happy outward appearance. Was pretty dependent on his friends and companions when it came to moral issues. Often found himself in a kind of fix where he couldn't do shit without blowing the hell out of the area around him (the guy dropped missiles on his own head to kill a damn alien threat near him for fucks sake). The first Doctor not to wear (particularly) weird clothes. "You were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And you know what? So was I."
* David Tennant (2005-2010): Probably the outwardly happiest of all Doctors... or maybe the most Machiavellian. A total crackpot. Talks a lot of [[Star Trek|technobabble]], at like 90mph, sometimes of something completely unrelated. Attracts a lot of women. For some reason, one of the last monsters featured was EAT. Yeah, that EAT. Oh and, when he'll offer you a chance of redemption and says that he can help you, you ''bloody well'' should take that offer! Because he doesn't believe in second chances, nor in letting someone walk away (Unless you're an arch villain). "I've gotten too old, Wilf, and too clever; I don't kill people, but I get them to kill themselves." (you just read that entire paragraph in his voice, didn't you?) Alternatively a child on Christmas morning and the '''MASTER''' of the ''resting bitch face'' whilst he destroys you, or ''he watches you destroy yourself''. His performance was so good that BBC actually considered to end the series after his tenure because they thought that the show would fail without him.
* Matt Smith (2010-2013): The biggest nutjob since Tom Baker's Doctor. His stories tend to feature fuck-terrifying monsters and situations, including: an army of quantum abominations who only move when you're not looking at them, but logically should be of no threat to anyone who owns a time machine, being trapped in a false-awakening loop, a crack in the wall that ''eats reality,'' and an entire fucking race of Slendermen (whom you completely forget even exist when you aren't looking at one). Two of his assistants are insanely hot and another spends most of his time getting killed (and rest of the time being awesome). "I wear a bow-tie now; bow-ties are cool."
* Peter Capaldi (2013-2017): Something in between the Ninth and Fourth Doctors, making him an all-out sinister badass if you know anything about those Doctors. The actor has appeared twice in Doctor Who (well, once in Torchwood) in other roles before becoming the Doctor, which was explained as the Doctor trying to tell himself something. Thus far fans have imagined him in the role as the Doctor in the same style Peter Capaldi has appeared on the show The Thick of It, where he was exceptionally foul-mouthed. It turned out he's pretty damn hilarious. And Scottish. Quite eccentric, though. Apparently a lot of the female fans were [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzWOlMif-Fw outraged] that an older guy got the role. It says a lot that the closest thing he had to a catchphrase was "Shut up!"
* Jodie Whittaker: (2017-)): The first female Doctor in canon. An actress from ''Broadchurch'' to go along with the producer of the same show. Meanwhile David Tennant fangirls [[butthurt|cry out in horror. For the third straight time in a decade.]] The precedent for Time Lords changing gender was established earlier during the Eleventh Doctor's era, when he mentions banging a Time Lord named the Corsair when he became a she. [[Rage|Oh and her actress is a]] [[Tumblr|feminist]]. And many fans of the Doctor up until this point [[Skub|cried out in horror]] when she was announced. The old-school fans simply shrugged and settled in for new ''Who'', gratified to know that they still weren't having to wait 16 years between episodes anymore. Her first season was just a bit above average with an awesome season finale that made the Daleks the powerful threat they should have been during Twelves tenure.(A Scout takes out an a whole armored Platoon with no effort) However it seems that the BBC is trying to compete with [[Star Trek|Paramount and CBS]] on who can run a fifty plus year old franchise into the ground first. As the next season won't be out until 2020. Making Capaldi's comments about "The Beeb" neglecting the show prophetic.

===Non-[[canon]] and other Doctors===
There have been a number of Doctors who were either the Doctor in strange circumstances, were later retconned or were never intended to be canon in the first place.

* Peter Cushing (1965-66): Yes, THAT Peter Cushing, the guy that played Grand Moff Tarkin in [[Star Wars]] and was so oldschool he once played alongside Laurel and Hardy. He played a human scientist called Dr. Who (yes, his last name is Who) in two movie-length remakes of early episodes featuring the Daleks. The movies were not very good and rumours had it that Cushing was taking any work he could to keep his mind off the recent loss of his wife. He is easily the best thing about the movies, mind, and his sweet, grandfatherly Doctor is a flavour almost worth seeing if you don't mind wading through all the crap. It also featured a set of groovy-coloured Daleks (who had decorated their base with lava lamps!), which was considered silly because Daleks are supposed to be drab... at least until they returned in Matt Smith's run as a group of happy fascist murderous rainbows.
* Rowan Atkinson, Richard E. Grant, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant and Joanna Lumley (1999): The BBC has a tradition of making silly parodies of their shows for charity. Dr. Who got one called Doctor Who and the Curse of the Fatal Death, where the aforementioned actors played the Ninth through Twelfth Doctors in quick succession. Rowan Atkinson played the role magnificently as the Time Lord Blackadder. He announces to the Master that he is going to marry the only companion he ever ''had'', but the Master enlists the help of the Daleks to kill his archenemy once and for all. Belayed explanations, Zektronic energy, [[Nurgle|communication based on breaking wind]], a couple of [[Wat|Dalek chairs]], and LOTS of hijinks later, the Doctor burns through pretty much all of his regenerations in two minutes. It is a very funny short and should be watched, if only for the magnificent snark that only Rowan Atkinson can produce.
* Richard E. Grant (2003): Just a few years after playing the Tenth Doctor in Curse of the Fatal Death, Grant returned as the Ninth Doctor for the "webisode" Scream of the Shalka. This incarnation was angry, moody, looked like a [[vampire]], and compared to Sherlock Holmes by the actor himself (which is funny when you consider that Benedict Cumberbatch, of ''Sherlock'' fame, was in the running to be the Eleventh Doctor), but he was still a good man who left no monster rampaging (or at least unstudied) and no woman unsaved. He fought the exeptionally creepy Shalka, whom he defeated with... no, no spoilers, you wouldn't believe it anyway. He also traveled alongside none other than the Master, who was confined to an android body stuck in the TARDIS. They share homoerotic subtext to the level it becomes homoerotic SUPERtext; the author commented that this was intentional.
**As a side note, while they were making the special, some kid pretty much kicked down the door, ranted about how much he loved Doctor Who, and begged for a role in the short. The producers gave him one, causing the kid to all but explode. The kid's name? David Tennant.
* David Morrissey (2009): In the episode "The next Doctor", the 10th Doctor stumbles upon cybermen, cybermonkeys, and a man who calls himself the Doctor, played by David Morrissey, in 1851. He claims to be an incarnation of the gallifreyan time-traveler we have had for 50 years, but something is amiss; his memory is practically gone, his sonic screwdriver isn't sonic, and his TARDIS is a balloon. In the end, it turns out he was actually a regular person who absorbed all information the cybermen had about the Doctor and only thought he was him.

==Miniatures and Doctor Who==

Miniatures based on Doctor Who have been around since the Eighties. In fact, one of [[Citadel Miniatures|Citadel's]] earliest plastic kits was a Dalek and a Cyberman, and a few Who-inspired models were also manufactured and sold by [[Games Workshop]] itself. [[FASA]] also made a few models.

The license got picked up by Harlequin in the Eighties, who made a few minis as well as some skirmish rules. The game was a skirmish combat affair that didn't really fit the show. Harlequin went bust decades ago and the official license lapsed at some point, but BlackTree Miniatures "own a huge stock" of unsold models (or they own the moulds and simply claim they have a huge stock. No one really cares).

Character Options produced a version of Heroclix called Doctor Who Microuniverse. It wasn't really a game, and the minis were pretty awful pre-painted, 28mm-scale minis. It is now out of print, thankfully.

[[Warlord Games]] acquired the license for a Doctor Who miniatures game in 2016, which has yet to be released as of 2017. Gale Force Nine is also licensed to produce a card game based on the series.

==The Doctor Who Miniatures Game==

In part thanks to so many terribly produced games and models in the past, small firm Crooked Dice wrote a scenario based action adventure miniatures game and called it The Doctor Who Miniatures Game. Slick, clever, quick to play and simple to get in to, it went down very well amongst nerds.

Originally produced for fun, it found a great deal of popularity in the part of the UK wargames community who wore tweed and smoked pipes. Buoyed by this success, Crooked Dice approached the BBC for an official license. Auntie Beeb said it would cost ££££ for an official license, but they it was aluded that they could continue to produce the game provided no direct profit was made.

Crooked Dice give the Doctor Who Miniatures Game away for free, and also produce a more generic action-adventure scenario based game called 7TV (Seventies TV, you see). So in a weird reversal of the way things are done, the generic rules cost money but the specific rules are free.

Unfortunately Crooked Dice, who already was producing "look alike" miniatures - started selling hard copies of the rules. This led to problems for them when Warlord Games acquired the Doctor Who license to produce a Miniatures Game and Miniatures - and not only was their Ruleset dropped, but also their range of unofficial Miniatures.

==The RPGs==
[[Image:DoctorWho_charsheet.jpg|250px|thumb|right|sample charsheet from the Cubicle 7 game]]
There have been three Doctor Who RPGs published to date. The first was produced by FASA, using the Star Trek RPG system . The FASA game was notable for its strange use Doctor Who continuity and official fluff. For example, it overused the Celestial Intervention Agency from the The Deadly Assassin episode. An odd choice.

The Time Lord RPG was closer to the series and sported a simpler system, along with mechanics that tried to emulate the show (macguffins, bench thumping etc). Published by Virgin and written by Ian Marsh and Peter Darvill-Evans, it can easily be found on the web. Legendary in the Australian con scene for one of the fastest Total Party Kills ever (GM: "You're in a moving TARDIS..."; Players: "We get out.")

A new game was made in 2010 (and remade in 2011) by Cubicle 7 Entertainment (SLA Industries, Victoriana, Starblazer Adventures), this time in conjunction with the BBC and based on the most recent series. It is rules lite, and biased against combat (much like the teevee show itself). For example: initiative depends on what you're doing, and goes in this order: Talkers, Movers, Doers and Fighters. It is a much better game than the last two, in the sense that it has modern mechanics and actually reflects the show.

===External Links===

*[http://drwhominiatures.co.uk/index.html Doctor Who Minatures Game] website with free downloads. Regularly updated.

*[http://www.torsononline.com/hobbies/timelord/main.htm Time Lord RPG by Marsh] Now out of print, you can download this game for free.

*[http://shop.cubicle7store.com/Doctor-Who-Adventures-in-Time-and-Space-Core-Set Cubicle 7 RPG store (10th Doctor edition)] Cubicle7 doesn't have any promo material of it's own about the game. Odd.

*[http://shop.cubicle7store.com/epages/es113347.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es113347_shop/Products/CB71109 Cubicle 7 RPG store (11th Doctor edition)]

*http://tardis.wikia.com A wordy wiki if you want to read up on the series and lore.

[[category:Roleplaying]] [[category:Television]]

Leopard 2

2019-01-03T02:21:55Z

2601:147:4300:1949:4C42:217F:C3F4:4E3: /* IRL */

[[File:Leopard-2.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8JC3T87Cm8 Ob sturmt, oder schneit...]]]
{{topquote|No, I'm not defending German technical superiority, I'm stating the '''fucking''' obvious!|Anonymous Soviet soldier, Company of Heroes 2}}

The armored fists of the Fatherland are back, with one of the most successful tanks ever designed. The Leopard 2 is currently one of the heaviest and most expensive tanks in the world.
The Leopard 2 has influenced modern tank design around the world with some systems proving so successful that they have been adapted onto other nations vehicles. Particularly the Rheinmetall 120mm L/44 smoothbore cannon with hydraulic recoil compensation which has become the standard tank cannon for all of NATO and was adapted for American use as the primary weapon of the M1A1 Abrams and later variants.

==In Team Yankee==
===West German===
[[File:Leopard-2 Statcard.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Hard Kitty, Cold kitty, big machine of doom...]]
You poor, majestic beast.

The Leopard 2 is the strongest MBT in the game when it comes to tank-on-tank engagements. The 120mm L/44 smoothbore grants the Leopard 2 a ROF of 2 shots both on the move and stationary, perfect for Commanders who prefer to fight a mobile war, and the AT value of 22 practically overwhelms Soviet armor from the front while if you manage to get their side armor by sneaking through a forest that they thought was impossible to traverse than it is simply game over for those sorry communist bastards. In addition you get a pair of MG3 7.62mm Machine guns to deal with infantry, one of which can be employed in an AA role.

The Leopard 2 is protected by the second strongest frontal armor in the game with a value of 18 <s>[[M1 Abrams|Damn Yankees]]</s>. It also gets additional protection against HEAT warheads with the Chobham Armor Package increasing the side armor to 16 against them, though the unaltered value of 7 is enough to deal with things like autocanons and such.

But why haven't these units seen more play? Mostly because tanks in Team Yankee have proven to be far too inefficient when competing against infantry, especially with affordable ATGMs for all. The Leopard holds the crown for having some of the worst efficiency in the game unless used for the specific role of tank combat. For ELEVEN POINTS PER TANK (did we mention how expensive they were?), a Leopard 2 Zug would cost between 22 to 33 points! If taken in twos, a Leopard has a very real chance of bailing on the spot due to morale, meaning that the true minimum cost is 33 points. For this, your opponent could have purchased an infantry platoon, with artillery and a couple of ATGMs. Even the Germans could have purchased an infantry COMPANY with some support for the price.

This is worsened by the fact that anti-tank roles can be performed better by a Leopard 1 Kompanie. Instead of taking three Leopard 2s, you could have taken 7 Leopard 1s for 21 points, a Jaguar Zug for 4-6 points and have LEFTOVER POINTS. In the current meta of infantry, there is little reason to bring expensive tank killers when the days of T-72 hordes are long gone.

With much sadness, the Leopard 2 is relegated to the realms of casual play and friendly games despite it being one of the prettiest panzers around. Maybe just maybe the low model sales may trigger something in someone that makes these things to lower their pointage in a new edition or bumping up their stats. -cough M1IP cough-

Update: As of April 2018, West German Commanders are authorized to fill their panzer zugs with up to 4 tanks while having 3 platoons per kompanie. We're all confident in your 44 point platoon carrying the game.

===Dutch===
[[File:TDBX01-15.jpg|left|300px|thumb|...sneaky kitty, panzer kitty, boom, boom, boom!]]
Dutch Leopard 2 platoons form the backbone of the tank squadrons, coming in units of 2-4 at 10 points each. Only 1 tank is allowed in the HQ, while the Recon (Verkennings) squadron can take up to two pairs of Leopard 2s.

However, this discount comes at a price: dropping to 4+ skill and morale. The survival of Leopard 2s relies on the player being able to maneuver their vehicles to minimize any return fire, given that a single piece costs around 10 points. A failed 'shoot and scoot' order would typically be met with casualties as your Leopards are hammered with ATGMs or tank guns: they are strong but far from impervious against dedicated anti-armor.

Now for a plot twist: you will probably be buying a couple of these at higher point levels. Why? Because this is the best anti-tank option you can get for the Dutch. While a unit of PRATs might suffice at the lower point levels, vehicle ATGMs is a pretty iffy choice in general. A platoon of Leopards has the ability to pick off enemy tanks from pretty much any point of the table when managed correctly, with orders used to minimize the chance of your tanks blowing up.

It may not be the best tank overall, but it's still the king in a tank fight.

{{clear}}

==IRL==
[[File:Leopard2.jpg|right|300px|thumb|You won't think its shit when it tears your hull wide open on the move.]]
[[File:Blitzkrieg.jpg|300px|right|thumb|]]
With the [[Leopard 1]] entering service in the mid 1960s, it soon became apparent that a successor should be developed to better fit the modern battlefield and utilize newly developed technologies. The ''Bundeswehr'' initially partnered with the US of A in the development of the MBT-70, but as time marched on and more and more money was sunk into the program, it soon became apparent that the MBT-70 was never going to see service. With this in mind, West Germany began to look into ways to upgrade the Leopard 1 platform while utilizing as much as they could from the failed MBT-70.

The result of this was the Leopard 2. The first Leopard 2 prototypes were initially armed with the 105mm L7 gun which basically equipped all of NATO, and few of these 105mm armed Leopards were actually sent over to the US to be tested against their American sibling, the brand new XM1 Abrams, but soon the 120mm L/44 was mounted after it became apparent that a more powerful weapon was needed to deal with modern Soviet armor. The Americans definitely appreciated the Leopard, but they chose to stick with the Abrams, and began to work on ways to make as many parts interchangeable between the two tanks.

The Leopard 2 remains in service to this day and makes up the majority of every NATO nation's MBT force. Even nations as far as Indonesia choose to equip their armored forces with the Leopard 2, thanks to its legendary reliability, excellent gun accuracy and toughness. In the 21st century, the Leopard 2 competes rather comfortably with contemporary designs like the T-90, Abrams and Challenger 2, depending on mission requirements and environment. Even as the Russians experiment with the T-14's 152mm main gun, the Germans are testing out the 130mm. Time will tell which is the caliber of the future.

Meanwhile Germany and France are co-developing what many call the "Leopard 3" by the 2030s. In an attempt to avoid falling into the pitfall that now plagues many western weapon procurement programs. By that time laser Active Protect systems might actually be a thing.

{{West German Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Dutch Forces in Team Yankee}}

[[Category:Vehicles]]

Leopard 2

2019-01-02T22:38:37Z

2601:147:4300:1949:4C42:217F:C3F4:4E3: /* IRL */

[[File:Leopard-2.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8JC3T87Cm8 Ob sturmt, oder schneit...]]]
{{topquote|No, I'm not defending German technical superiority, I'm stating the '''fucking''' obvious!|Anonymous Soviet soldier, Company of Heroes 2}}

The armored fists of the Fatherland are back, with one of the most successful tanks ever designed. The Leopard 2 is currently one of the heaviest and most expensive tanks in the world.
The Leopard 2 has influenced modern tank design around the world with some systems proving so successful that they have been adapted onto other nations vehicles. Particularly the Rheinmetall 120mm L/44 smoothbore cannon with hydraulic recoil compensation which has become the standard tank cannon for all of NATO and was adapted for American use as the primary weapon of the M1A1 Abrams and later variants.

==In Team Yankee==
===West German===
[[File:Leopard-2 Statcard.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Hard Kitty, Cold kitty, big machine of doom...]]
You poor, majestic beast.

The Leopard 2 is the strongest MBT in the game when it comes to tank-on-tank engagements. The 120mm L/44 smoothbore grants the Leopard 2 a ROF of 2 shots both on the move and stationary, perfect for Commanders who prefer to fight a mobile war, and the AT value of 22 practically overwhelms Soviet armor from the front while if you manage to get their side armor by sneaking through a forest that they thought was impossible to traverse than it is simply game over for those sorry communist bastards. In addition you get a pair of MG3 7.62mm Machine guns to deal with infantry, one of which can be employed in an AA role.

The Leopard 2 is protected by the second strongest frontal armor in the game with a value of 18 <s>[[M1 Abrams|Damn Yankees]]</s>. It also gets additional protection against HEAT warheads with the Chobham Armor Package increasing the side armor to 16 against them, though the unaltered value of 7 is enough to deal with things like autocanons and such.

But why haven't these units seen more play? Mostly because tanks in Team Yankee have proven to be far too inefficient when competing against infantry, especially with affordable ATGMs for all. The Leopard holds the crown for having some of the worst efficiency in the game unless used for the specific role of tank combat. For ELEVEN POINTS PER TANK (did we mention how expensive they were?), a Leopard 2 Zug would cost between 22 to 33 points! If taken in twos, a Leopard has a very real chance of bailing on the spot due to morale, meaning that the true minimum cost is 33 points. For this, your opponent could have purchased an infantry platoon, with artillery and a couple of ATGMs. Even the Germans could have purchased an infantry COMPANY with some support for the price.

This is worsened by the fact that anti-tank roles can be performed better by a Leopard 1 Kompanie. Instead of taking three Leopard 2s, you could have taken 7 Leopard 1s for 21 points, a Jaguar Zug for 4-6 points and have LEFTOVER POINTS. In the current meta of infantry, there is little reason to bring expensive tank killers when the days of T-72 hordes are long gone.

With much sadness, the Leopard 2 is relegated to the realms of casual play and friendly games despite it being one of the prettiest panzers around. Maybe just maybe the low model sales may trigger something in someone that makes these things to lower their pointage in a new edition or bumping up their stats. -cough M1IP cough-

Update: As of April 2018, West German Commanders are authorized to fill their panzer zugs with up to 4 tanks while having 3 platoons per kompanie. We're all confident in your 44 point platoon carrying the game.

===Dutch===
[[File:TDBX01-15.jpg|left|300px|thumb|...sneaky kitty, panzer kitty, boom, boom, boom!]]
Dutch Leopard 2 platoons form the backbone of the tank squadrons, coming in units of 2-4 at 10 points each. Only 1 tank is allowed in the HQ, while the Recon (Verkennings) squadron can take up to two pairs of Leopard 2s.

However, this discount comes at a price: dropping to 4+ skill and morale. The survival of Leopard 2s relies on the player being able to maneuver their vehicles to minimize any return fire, given that a single piece costs around 10 points. A failed 'shoot and scoot' order would typically be met with casualties as your Leopards are hammered with ATGMs or tank guns: they are strong but far from impervious against dedicated anti-armor.

Now for a plot twist: you will probably be buying a couple of these at higher point levels. Why? Because this is the best anti-tank option you can get for the Dutch. While a unit of PRATs might suffice at the lower point levels, vehicle ATGMs is a pretty iffy choice in general. A platoon of Leopards has the ability to pick off enemy tanks from pretty much any point of the table when managed correctly, with orders used to minimize the chance of your tanks blowing up.

It may not be the best tank overall, but it's still the king in a tank fight.

{{clear}}

==IRL==
[[File:Leopard2.jpg|right|300px|thumb|You won't think its shit when it tears your hull wide open on the move.]]
[[File:Blitzkrieg.jpg|300px|right|thumb|]]
With the [[Leopard 1]] entering service in the mid 1960s, it soon became apparent that a successor should be developed to better fit the modern battlefield and utilize newly developed technologies. The ''Bundeswehr'' initially partnered with the US of A in the development of the MBT-70, but as time marched on and more and more money was sunk into the program, it soon became apparent that the MBT-70 was never going to see service. With this in mind, West Germany began to look into ways to upgrade the Leopard 1 platform while utilizing as much as they could from the failed MBT-70.

The result of this was the Leopard 2. The first Leopard 2 prototypes were initially armed with the 105mm L7 gun which basically equipped all of NATO, and few of these 105mm armed Leopards were actually sent over to the US to be tested against their American sibling, the brand new XM1 Abrams, but soon the 120mm L/44 was mounted after it became apparent that a more powerful weapon was needed to deal with modern Soviet armor. The Americans definitely appreciated the Leopard, but they chose to stick with the Abrams, and began to work on ways to make as many parts interchangeable between the two tanks.

The Leopard 2 remains in service to this day and makes up the majority of every NATO nation's MBT force. Even nations as far as Indonesia choose to equip their armored forces with the Leopard 2, thanks to its legendary reliability, excellent gun accuracy and toughness. In the 21st century, the Leopard 2 competes rather comfortably with contemporary designs like the T-90, Abrams and Challenger 2, depending on mission requirements and environment. Even as the Russians experiment with the T-14's 152mm main gun, the Germans are testing out the 130mm. Time will tell which is the caliber of the future.

Meanwhile Germany and the France are co-developing what many call the "Leopard 3" by the 2030s. In an attempt to avoid falling into the pitfall that now plagues many western weapon procurement programs.

{{West German Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Dutch Forces in Team Yankee}}

[[Category:Vehicles]]

Imperial Ordnance

2019-01-02T22:25:50Z

2601:147:4300:1949:4C42:217F:C3F4:4E3: /* Deathwatch Frag Cannon */

{{topquote|Infantry win firefights, tanks win battles, artillery wins wars.|Common sentiment amongst the [[Imperial Guard]] senior staff.}}

That's how the saying goes. And it's true. Without the big guns you are doomed to be [[Ork|murdered gruesomely for the lulz of it]], [[Tyranids|get eaten]] or [[Chaos|have your soul used as a condom]] for all eternity. The Imperium knows this and has devised a truly staggering amount of heavy guns dedicated to ruining your shit into next Sunday from anywhere in between half a mile to half a continent away.

== Man-portable Weapons ==
The lightest of indirect support weapons can be carried by individual or paired soldiers. While this makes them tactically more flexible, they have reduced firepower compared to their heavier counterparts.

===Grenade Launcher===
[[File:Grenade Launcher.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Grenade Launcher]]
The grenade launcher is a light, man-portable weapon capable of firing small explosive charges. It is primarily employed by the Imperial Guard, with almost every trooper squad featuring at least one of them. Grenade launchers are a common weapon used by Imperial Guard infantry squads thanks to their ability to lob grenades greater distances and with more accuracy than can be thrown.

Their primary duty is to lay down suppressive fire and destroy light vehicles and buildings. It has a choice of two different payloads, anti infantry Fragmentation grenades, and anti-armour Krak grenades.

Space Marines scout bikers utilise a variation of this weapon, the "Astartes pattern" Grenade Launcher. It fires the same rounds, but with an increased rate of fire.
<gallery>
File:CadianShockTroopsGrenadeLauncher.png
image:ScoutBikeGrenadeLauncher.png|<center>Scout Bike</center>
</gallery>

===Vengeance Grenade Launcher===
[[File:VengeanceLauncher.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Vengeance Grenade Launcher]]
A grenade launcher only found in the [[Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine|Vidya Game of SPEEES MEHREEEEENS!]]

A much more tactical weapon than its assault-orientated cousins.

The Vengeance Grenade Launcher is an experimental Adeptus Mechanicus weapon created on the Forge world Graia just prior to the Ork invasion of Warboss Grimskull. The Vengeance Grenade Launcher is not authorized for use off world, but those Space Marines who have field tested the weapon attest to its effectiveness against a range of targets. The launcher can fire out up to five fusion charges that stick to surfaces and then be remotely detonated.

The current status of this weapon is unknown.

<gallery>
File:TitusVengeanceZoomed.png|Captain Titus holding one of these badboys.
</gallery>

===Grenadier Gauntlet===
[[File:GrenadierGauntlet.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Grenadier Gauntlet]]
Think of it as a heavy grenade launcher or a sawn-off Missile Launcher.

The Grenadier Gauntlet is a type of heavy Grenade Launcher used by Imperial Guard [[Ogryn|Bullgryn.]] Like all Ogryn weapons such as the Ripper Gun, the Grenadier Gauntlet is not meant for accuracy and range, instead it is constructed like a giant baton. The grenade launching mechanism is just a feature for the Bullgryn to launch something explosive at an enemy he can't reach.

The foes are often left reeling and shell-shocked even before the maul-wielding Ogryns charge into their midst and bludgeon the survivors into a red paste.

In terms of the firing mechanism, the Grenadier Gauntlet obviously works like any normal grenade launcher. However it does have a lower set of ammunition due to the Ogryn's natural stupidity and inability to understand the concept of reloading.

Still, as a baton, it is naturally incredibly tough to withstand the immense strength of a rampaging Ogryn as well as simple enough to use for these dumbasses.

<gallery>
image:BullgrynGauntlet.png|<center>Alternate View</center>
</gallery>

{{Clear}}

===Grenade Harness===
[[File:GrenadeHarness.jpg|150px|right|thumb|Grenade Harness]]
The Cyclone Missile Launcher of Grenade Launchers.

The Grenade Harness is a type of Grenade Launcher mounted on some Space Marine Terminator Armour. These launchers allow for a barrage of Frag grenades, usually before a charge by the Terminators.

The Grenade Harness has a lower ammunition capacity than a regular Grenade Launcher due to its smaller size. It is thus used tactically in surgical strikes in order to maximize the weapon's potential.

Like the Cyclone, it functions the same way but with an obvious decrease in weapon range and output.

<gallery>
image:GorgonTerminatorGrenadeLauncher.png|<center>Gorgon Terminator</center>
</gallery>

{{Clear}}

===Balistus Grenade Launcher===
[[File:BalistaGrenadeLauncher.png|150px|right|thumb|Balistus Grenade Launcher]]
A new type of grenade launcher wielded by the [[Adeptus Custodes|Golden Boys in Shining Armor.]]

Balistus Grenade Launchers are potent ranged weapons wielded by the Adeptus Custodes, which excel at piercing armor like a giant [[Bolter]]. The only users of these weapons are the venerable [[Allarus Custodians]]. It is unknown if the more common [[Aquilon Terminator|Aquilon Terminators]] (assuming they still exist) have permission to carry these around.

Like the wrist-mounted bolters carried around by Gray Knight Terminators, the Balistus Grenade Launcher works on the same principle. Except, instead of providing covering/suppressing fire in close to medium range, these things mulch infantry at longer ranges.

It is unknown where the Grenade Launcher stores its ammunition, given the relative size of the barrel in contrast to the size of the weapon itself. Maybe it is a single shot weapon? It is stated to be drum-fed but if it is drumfed, it must be either the galaxy's first invisible drum magazine or the Imperium rediscovered how to make and use pym particles and that tiny stick magazine attached to it is supposed to fit enough ammo to last a battle.

The choice of a grenade launcher as an anti-heavy infantry weapon is also bizarre, as grenade launchers are low velocity guns that fire thin skinned shells which basically make the shell itself relatively harmless for a round of its size if you're just looking at the kinetic energy. A dud round from a grenade launcher might not even hit someone hard enough to kill them, as all the killing power of the round comes from the explosive. You'd think it's some kind of HEAT round, but those focus the force of the blast on a single target by shaping the explosion to launch a jet of molten metal to achieve penetration and so wouldn't have the d3 shot profile given to what used to be small blast weapons.

So the most reasonable theory is that the grenade launcher's rounds are a kind of frag round whose shells are filled with a high grade sort of shrapnel able to shred right through most forms of personal armour in use in the galaxy. Because the shrapnel would be tiny, large monsters and vehicles would shrug it off as the shrapnel would lose energy before cutting too deeply into them, which fits with its not amazing strength characteristic, but infantry would be losing limbs, organs, and organs and power armour, cyborg augmentations, or robotic parts would have their delicate internal components devastated. In other words, basically launching a bomb full of some of the sharpest stuff known to man to reduce people to confetti and thus provide for choppy dakka. Khorne and Gork would be pleased.

<gallery>
image:AllarusCustodianGrenadeLauncher.png|<center>Close-up View</center>
</gallery>

==Heavy Grenade Launchers==
A much bigger variant of the standard grenade launcher that peppers the battlefield with explosive munitions.

===Deathwatch Frag Cannon===
[[File:Deathwatch_Frag_Cannon.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Deathwatch Frag Cannon]]

This is where the term Grenade Launcher ends and where [[Dakka|Grenade ''Cannon'' begins.]]

Fielded exclusively by Space Marine Veterans of the [[Deathwatch]]. This is a belt fed grenade spewing death machine. It's so new and confidential that there is no fluff to explain how it works. So we'll have to make guesses based on it's weapon profile. Deathwatch Frag Cannons fire at least two different rounds. The first turns it into a slightly better Heavy Flamer. The other turns it into a short range rocket launcher that hits twice. Becoming a [[Lascannon]] at half range.

A Deatwatch Veteran squad can take four of these things. In the same unit as Terminators and other Deathwatch exclusive [[dakka]]. [[Xeno]]s and [[Chaos]] forces should consider themselves lucky that weapons like Barrage [[Plasma Gun]]s, [[Melta|Atomizer Cannons]] and Techxorcism Guns are ultra rare. [[Anal_Circumference|As the Deathwatch can deploy all of them in a single Veteran Squad.]] Whether these downsized Frag Cannons originate from an STC or a vault from one of the many Watch Fortresses is not stated.

===Auto-Launcher===
[[File:RepulsorAutoLauncher2.png|200px|right|thumb|Auto-Launcher]]
Resembling a rack/box of grenades, Auto-launchers are vehicle-mounted grenade launchers similar to Smoke Launchers. The [[Repulsor Tank|Repulsor]] is the most infamous user of these weapons.

They are simple, six-barreled – though the ones on the Repulsor have eight, for some reason – weapons mounted on vehicle hulls, firing salvos of either three grenades types at a time: Frag, Krak, and Blind. They are useful for when you are indecisive on whether you want immediate proximity defense or just a simple smoke screen. The Auto-Launcher carries six grenades, all of the same type. Auto-Launchers are best identified by the literal racks of exposed grenade/missiles pointed randomly everywhere. Why the Imperium thought it was a good idea to place these weapons on extremely random places is unknown since these grenades would not be able to hit its targets tactically...[[Awesome|unless those grenades can home on their targets, of course]]. But in all seriousness, this is because the design of these weapons is based on real life active protection systems which spit out slugs, shrapnel blasts, and sometimes even small rockets in the direction of incoming projectiles in order to shoot them down. This being the Imperium, however, they have decided that it will work just as well as an actual weapon, rather than just a defensive tool.

While you'd think them being externally mounted runs the risk of someone shooting at the exposed grenades and causing them to detonate, we should note that all the charges face outward, and so they are not capable of doing damage to the vehicle they are mounted on; and '''B''': they are designed (''assuming they really are based on our active protection systems'') to deal with incoming projectiles, so even if they are pointed the right (''in the perspective of the tank's crew, wrong'') way. the blast would not be able to much damage to the armour... unless the the grenades in question are Kraks.

{{Clear}}

===Ironclad Assault Launcher===
[[File:IroncladAssaultLauncher.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Ironclad Assault Launcher]]

Like the Fragstorm Grenade Launcher but for [[Centurion Squad|Centurions]] and [[Dreadnoughts]].

The Ironclad Assault Launcher is mounted on the Ironclad Dreadnoughts or Centurions. It projects both offensive and defensive grenades. On the Centurion, they are located on the torso, between the arms and the chest. They are the four squarish pods that house these grenades. On a Dreadnought, it comes in two sets of six like what you can find installed on top of some Land Raiders' tracks. The sets of two variant similar to the Centurion can also be found on the Caestus Assault Ram by the opening hatches, complementing its [https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Melta#Magna-Melta Magna-Melta]. Like with the auto-launcher, this is essentially a defensive system being used offensively, spitting out all its grenades in something resembling a shotgun blast from hell to either demolish obstacles, suppress the enemy, or tear them to shreds.

On tabletop, the Ironclad Assault Launchers gives both the Ironclad Dreadnought and Centurions the ability to deal d3 mortal wounds to units within 1" of it after a charge on a 4+, which ensures they'll be softened up when you begin the fight phase.

<gallery>
image:IroncladLauncher.jpg|<center>Centurion Variant</center>
image:CaestusAssaultLauncher.jpg|<center>Caestus Assault Ram Variant</center>
image:LandRaiderAssaultLauncher.jpg|<center>Land Raider Variant</center>
image:SpartanAssaultLauncher.jpg|<center>Spartan Variant</center>
</gallery>

===Fragstorm Grenade Launcher===
[[File:FragstormGrenadeLauncher.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Fragstorm Grenade Launcher]]
Think the Grenade Harness for Dreadnoughts.

Fragstorm Grenade Launchers are a type of grenade launcher used by Primaris Space Marines. Like the Grenade Harness, these launchers allow for the firing of a barrage of frag grenades before a charge. However, they can also be used defensively when the Dreadnought is surrounded by enemies and they just need to pepper a targeted radius with shrapnel and explosions.

They are equipped for anti-personnel roles to Aggressor Squads and Redemptor Dreadnoughts.

Their more tank-busting equivalents is the similarly named Krakstorm Grenade Launcher.

And no, despite their appearance, they have in no way related to the Auto-Launcher by function.

<gallery>
image:PrimarisAggressorGrenadeLauncher.png|<center>Primaris Aggressor</center>
</gallery>

{{Clear}}

===Krakstorm Grenade Launcher===
[[File:PrimarisRepulsorKrakstorm.png|200px|right|thumb|Krakstorm Grenade Launcher]]
It's literally a Fragstorm Grenade Launcher that fires, you guessed it, Krak Grenades.

A Krakstorm Grenade Launcher is a type of Imperial Grenade Launcher usually wielded by the Primaris Space Marines that fires a volley of three aforementioned Krak Grenades at a time upon the enemy. It is deployed for use as an anti-armor or anti-fortification weapon by [[Repulsor Tank|Repulsor grav tanks.]]

Although there is no evidence of it being mounted on the [[Redemptor Dreadnought]], the fact that the ammunition of both the Frag and Krak are superficially similiar means it wouldn't be ''that'' out of the blue if GW decides to update the Dreadnought with these weapons.

Like the Auto-Launchers, the Krakstorm Grenade Launcher carries the same issue of it being awkward to aim, with the only logical explanation if that the Krak grenades themselves have homing features like that of a missile.

In terms of rules, they act as they are named. Good vehicle killers, although the sheer amount of anti-tank weapons that the Repulsor carries means that these weapons are best used for killing any stragglers.

{{clear}}

===Frag Cannon===
[[File:Frag_Cannon.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Frag Cannon]]

The Frag Cannon is a giant [[Awesome|machine gun heavy grenade launcher]] and is the big brother of the more tacticool Deathwatch variant. Regardless we can guess that they are both automatic grenade launchers at different calibers. Making them at least 40mm in diameter or larger. In most cases, the term Frag Cannon refers to the one found in the [[Blood Angels]] Chapter. Like the [[Dark Angels]], they are one of those weapons jealously kept secret so that the AdMech can't horde all the good shit.

These Frag Cannons are the older larger version exclusively mounted on [[Furioso Dreadnought|Furioso Dreadnoughts.]] The Frag Cannon is a shoulder-mounted weapon, replacing the Dreadnought arm as other heavy weapons do, and fires a pair of long, hollow adamantium shells that fragment upon firing, resulting in a hail of razor-sharp shrapnel.

Their range is much shorter and lack the versatility of their smaller counterparts; somewhat capricious in nature since the shrapnel it produces [[Lolwut|can be stopped by light armor, while simultaneously being able to rip through power armour.]] Making up for it with a higher volume of fire.

In 8th Edition, this giant monster is a [[MOAR DAKKA|Double Heavy Flamer on steroids]] with 8" 2D6 S6 AP-1 1 D auto-hits. Hordes beware. Also an assault gun on a very fast model so you can advance and roast. Pair this with a Heavy Flamer and the amount of auto-hits your Dreadnought would produce would be enough to be a Tarpit ''Remover'', not a Tarpit Breaker. [[Rape|'''A fucking REMOVER.''']]

===Blackstar Cluster Launcher===
[[File:BlackstarCluster.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Blackstar Cluster Launcher]]

An aerial grenade ordnance that fires from the air rather than on the ground. Air superiority and all that.

The Blackstar Cluster Launcher is an array of two six-barreled Grenade Launchers mounted on the rear of [[Deathwatch]] [[Corvus Blackstar]] gunships. These allow the pilot of the Blackstar to sow a hailstorm of munitions in his wake as he strafes the primary target. The launcher is capable of firing either fragmentation or incendiary munitions. If you wanna re-enact a miniature bombing of Berlin, the Blackstar has got your back.

As you can imagine, having a unit that can just fly over and drop what is essentially bombs without the risk of going close to enemy fire on a rather sluggish platform is pretty sweet. Thus, the Blackstar rocks a delightful Blackstar Cluster launcher, which lets you bomb a unit you flew over. For every model in the unit (up to 10), roll a die and, on a 6, that unit takes a mortal wound.

[[Tl;dr]], the Imperium has created a plane that [[Shitstorm|literally shits out bird poop]]....while...[[Bullshit|more like explosive diarrhea.]]

== Mortar ==
A mortar is an artillery weapon that launches shells in a high arc. They tend to have relatively short barrels and fire shells at relatively low velocities. The Imperial Guard uses them in two sizes: the standard man-portable mortar, carried and operated by two Imperial Guard troopers; and the heavy mortar, which can be used in static or towed artillery mounts, or mounted in a Griffon Heavy Mortar Carrier. They can destroy light infantry and light vehicles easily enough, but are unlikely to trouble heavy infantry or vehicles with tank-grade armour.

{{Clear}}

===Light Mortar===
[[File:CadianMortarZoomed.png|200px|right|thumb|Light Mortar]]
The most common form of Mortars is...well....the Mortar. Some may call it the Light Mortar due to the smaller payload and size but whatever. The Mortar looks like...a basic modern Mortar found in use in today's armies. I guess the design haven't change for over 40,000 years, but hey, if it's not broken, don't fix it.

The Light Mortar fires an explosive shell on a high-arching trajectory capable of flying over the heads of nearby troops and crashing down on the rear ranks of the enemy. Its primary use is in the anti-personnel role, breaking up enemy infantry formations and pinning them down.

Mortars are prized for their ability to lay down a curtain of fire from behind cover, and while not particularly accurate their explosive power makes up for this deficiency. However this indirect-fire capability requires accurate targeting information to be effective and the use of spotters with proper vox-protocols in order to avoid friendly fire. Standard procedures has the spotters locate targets, whether through visual or remote-servitor means, and send a fire request to the mortar crew's [[Imperial Guard Command Squad|Platoon Command Squad,]] which plots a firing solution and relays that information to the mortar teams assembled, adjusting fire as required.

In 8th Edition, the Mortar is now a 48" Heavy D6 S4 AP0 D1 heavy weapon, and may fire indirectly. Down in cost, and along with the [[Nerf|nerf]] to the [[Wyvern]] this brings it back into the realm of 'good' choices. At 11 points a gun team, it's a dirt cheap light and medium infantry muncher. Because of the revision to the way AP works it's in direct competition with the Heavy Bolter; this ALSO means it's in indirect competition with your entire motor pool. Consider this when the challenge of fitting half a dozen kits' worth of mortar tubes into your list is a daunting prospect. Becomes much more viable in games using a lot of scenery or buildings, so take it when you need to lob some pain over that city block or hill that your other heavy weapons can't shoot through.
{{Clear}}

===Mole Mortar===
[[File:Mole_Mortar.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Mole Mortar]]
Basically a reverse Mortar. In that it travels ''underground'' rather than overhead. It's more of a torpedo then a Mortar, but it got 'Mortar' in the name and we need to stick it somewhere.

The missile burrows its way toward its target, bypassing all surface hazards and defenses, emerging from the ground beneath the target. The missile is self-guided and able to track its target through solid rock. [[Mole Mortar Team|As an invention of the]] [[Squats|Sphess Dorfs]], the Mole Mortar soon found its way up the ranks of the [[Imperial Guard]] due to its unorthodox firing methods.

The Mole Mortar was originally developed to destroy enemy tunneling vehicles but was so successful that now used as a [[Wat|short-ranged assault weapon,]] even though such premonitions sounds outright [[Stupid]] let alone suicidal, it is worth remembering that since vehicles have thinner bottom armor if you can get a hit on a tank it's going to be fairly devastating. It is sometimes used to breach fortifications too strong for conventional weaponry to damage. Due to the unique way it operates, the mole mortar is able to circumvent most defenses, striking from below to explode within bunkers and other structures.

Heck, the Mole Mortar was so popular in the Guard that it eventually led to the creation of the Mole Launcher. [[Original character, do not steal|Figures.]]

{{Clear}}

===Heavy Mortar===
[[File:Heavy_Mortar.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Heavy Mortar]]
The Heavy Mortar is a larger support version of the standard Mortar used by the Imperial Guard. Its primary advantages are a wide range of ammunition types, a high rate of fire, and simplicity to construct and maintain. However its massive size means the heavy mortar must either be towed into place by a [[Trojan Support Vehicle|Trojan]] or [[Centaur Utility Vehicle|Centaur]]. A special version of this is mounted on the [[Griffon Heavy Mortar Carrier|Griffon Mortar Carrier.]]

While they were once quite popular with many Imperial Guard regiments, the use of heavy mortars has fallen out of favor in recent years, since for many commanders it lacks both the heavy firepower and long reach of much larger artillery pieces, limiting its use in box-barrages or counter-battery fire. Towed heavy mortars have become even less popular, being seen as too slow to keep up with advancing mechanized units, and have largely been regulated to PDFs and Siege Regiments.

For all their faults heavy mortars also have a number of advantages. They are an excellent close support weapons for engaging enemy infantry and light vehicles, freeing the heavier artillery for use against more appropriate targets, and can maintain a steady rate of fire for hours. Its versatility also allows it to fulfill a variety of other roles, from launching illumination shells during night battles or laying down a smoke screen before an infantry attack.

{{Clear}}

===Karacnos Mortar Battery===
[[File:Karacnos_Nukes.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Karacnos Mortar Battery]]
The [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] have their own mortar and [[Lord of the Rings|it is a mortar to rule them all.]] Called the Karacnos Mortar Battery which is so named after the [[Karacnos Assault Tank|vehicle it is mounted on.]] The Karacnos Mortar Battery is special cause it uses ''[[Fallout|radioactive warheads]]'' [[Awesome|as its armaments!]] You can't get more metal than that! As it is basically firing a barrage of dirty bombs, this mortar fires its radioactive warheads which is designed to sweep an area clear of all organic life.

As you can imagine, these badboys aren't that well liked for those Imperial Commanders who want to have a idyllic and livable planet to prosper. Seriously, a couple of these batteries would turn a city into a uninhabitable wasteland that only a [[Death Korps of Krieg|Krieger from a Death Korps would enjoy.]]

On tabletop ([[Horus Heresy|The 30k rules at least]]), the Mortar is a R60 heavy bolter with barrage, small blast, fleshbane, radphage, Ignores cover and pinning which seems good on paper but with the majority of targets getting armour saves this mostly equates to a longer range Wyvern.

=={{anchor|Leman Russ}} Tank Guns ==

These guns are too large to be carried by infantry (excluding "heavy" weapons such as [[lascannon]]s and [[autocannon]]s), but are still small enough that a heavy vehicle, like the [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]], can carry and fire them while in the thick of battle. It should be noted that certain [[Autogun|Autoweapons]] are also a form of ordnance. So don't be too surprised if you see a few similiar faces around here.

{{Clear}}

===Battle Cannon===
[[File:Battle_Cannon_Leman_Russ.PNG|200px|right|thumb|Battle Cannon]]
The primary weapon of the [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]], it is the most commonly used tank gun for good reason: the Battle Cannon can pull double duty as both an anti-tank and anti-infantry weapon thanks to its considerable range (72"), strength (S8 AP3 = instant death to [[MEQ]]s and capable of damaging any vehicle) and explosion size (5" blast = blob-killer). The cannon proved so popular that it was made the primary armament of the [[Macharius (tank)|Macharius]] and [[Malcador (tank)|Malcador]] super-heavy tanks, and has been forked into several versions by the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]]:
{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile|name=Battle Cannon (Leman Russ)|range=72|strength=8|ap=3|type=Ordnance|rof=|rules=Blast (5")}}
 

Since the revamping of the AP-system and moving away from "blast template" mechanics, the stats for battle cannons were changed, becoming something of this 
{{40k-Ranged-Weapon-Profile-8|name=Battle Cannon (8th Edition)|range=72|strength=8|ap=-2|damage=D3|type=Heavy D6|}}
It is worth noting that while AP-2 now allowes 3+ and 4+ armour to actually provide at least some save-roll (5+ save for 3+ armour and 6+ save for 4+ armour), 2+ armour (like that of the Terminators) now only get 4+ save instead of 2+.

{{Clear}}

==={{anchor|Conqueror Cannon}} Conqueror Battle Cannon===
[[File:LRConq.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Conqueror Battle Cannon]]
Fitted to the [[Leman Russ Conqueror]], this is essentially a lighter and smaller version of the Battle Cannon. Its shorter range and smaller blast radius is more than compensated by the reduced recoil and higher rate of fire, allowing for an even greater damage output than a Battle Cannon. Like the battle cannon the Conqueror cannon is capable of firing high explosive, anti-tank, smoke, illumination, and even Hunter shells, although not infernus rounds. The Forge World Gryphonne IV also designed a special shell just for this weapon, known as the '''Augur Shell'''. While similar to an HE shell when the Augur's impact detonator is triggered the thin shell wall splits open and the soft explosive charge is spread across the target; a microsecond later the secondary detonator in the base of the shell ignites the explosive. This causes cratering and cracking of the target's outer armor, while inside the target it produces spalling capable of damaging internal equipment and wounding or killing personnel (Which sounds extraordinarily similar to HESH ammunition). However the shell was not considered a success and in the end relatively few were produced.

On the tabletop, it's a "Heavy" weapon, as opposed to "Ordnance", which allows the carrying vehicle to fire its sponson weapons at full ballistic skill (though, since the Conqueror is not a heavy tank, that only applies if it holds still...).

In 8th Edition it's just a Battle Cannon with 50% of the range (36").

{{Clear}}

=== Macharius Battle Cannon ===
[[File:Malcadorbattlecannon.png|200px|right|thumb|Macharius Battle Cannon]]
The [[Macharius Heavy Tank]] has a twin-barreled variant of the Battle Cannon, because it has a bigger turret and because two barrels are better than one. It also looks like it has a larger bore which means it can fire larger calibers. For all intents and purposes, the Macharius Battle Cannon should be considered as a superheavy weapon if not for the fact that the Macharius itself is not completely in the superheavy category.

It used to actually fire two shots, but that's been changed to a single massive (7") blast in more recent publications similiar to how some video games give sawed-off shotguns a firing mechanism to blows off the two barrels at the same time. Maybe they will get around to making a single massive cannon for it, too. A Macharius Vanquisher Cannon? It exists. But a Macharius with a giant single gun? we wish.

Then 8th Edition drop and we went back to a 2-shot Battle Cannon. Lame.

{{Clear}}

==={{anchor|Vanquisher Cannon}} Vanquisher Battle Cannon===
[[File:Vanqcannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Vanquisher Battle Cannon]]
Huge gun, huge range, huge barrel, huge damage. Basically an anti-tank gun fitted on tank destroyers. The Leman Russ Vanquisher has its weapon tooled for only one purpose: to fuck enemy tanks and monsters hard using huge shells.

It sacrifices its blast radius for an improved capacity for armor penetration (AP2, S8 + 2d6 = 10-20 with an average of 15 = roll for the [[anal circumference|circumference]] of the hole that is about to get punched through your armor). The [[Macharius (tank)|Macharius]] can carry twin-linked Vanquisher cannons, and has enough internal space that it can also fire high-explosive shells like the regular Macharius Battle Cannon, so it's like two tanks in one -- and it costs about as much as regular Russ and a Vanquisher put together. 
Worth noting, that the cannon is now somewhat nerfed, being given only S=8,AP-3 while retaining Heavy 1 and gaining D=D6R (the same rule as meltagun, albeit not only when in half-range or less).

The only problem is that the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] lost Tigrus, the only [[Forge World]] that made Vanquisher cannons, to the [[Orks]] in M35 (somehow, you'd think the Imperium would throw so much firepower in defense of such a vital world that nothing could take it), so the only way to make new Vanquisher tanks is to take the cannons off of tanks that have been immobilized -- not a simple feat, given that the cannon is so dangerous to armor and stands out as a priority target for enemies. Two other Forge Worlds, Stygies VIII and Gryphonne IV have stepped up to try and match the old cannons (read: [[Forge World]], the company, has produced two alternate turrets for [[Leman Russ Vanquisher]]s), but they're just not quite there (though it makes no difference on the tabletop, of course). And then Tyranids ate Gryphonne. (It was delicious.)

And it also seems, that as per 6-th edition Astra Militarum Codex and onwards, the fluff was changed to do away with "Vanquisher cannon being rare" altogether - now the Leman Russ Vanquisher is noted as being simply the dedicated anti-armour variant of Leman Russ, often employed as command tank in armoured formations. However, it now also seem that Vanquisher cannon now lost it's ability to fire HE rounds, being able to only fire anti-armour HEAT rounds, something ineffective against infantry formations.

It should be noted that, unlike how many on /tg/ perceive it, the Vanquisher is '''not''' just a Battle Cannon firing specialised Anti-Tank shells. The Guard does use separate specialised HEAT shells for the basic BC, but Imperial Armour shows the Vanquisher Cannon to have a smaller bore than the standard one, while the shells have a greater diameter-to-length ratio and possibly be some form of APFSDS round.

{{Clear}}

===Demolisher Cannon===
[[File:Demolisher1Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Demolisher Cannon]]
The Big One. Fitted onto the [[Leman Russ Demolisher]] and packing enough heat to turn [[Terminator|Terminators]] and heavy and super-heavy vehicles inside-out with a single shell, the Demolisher Cannon's short range (24" -- shorter than some infantry weapons) is the only thing that stops it from being a truly amazing weapon.

Even then, it can cause considerable damage (S10 AP2 Large Blast = kiss your everything goodbye) and because it is smaller than the other cannons, is one of the few ordnance weapons used by the [[Space Marines]], mounted on the [[Vindicator]] and [[Land Raider Ares]], and it is used as secondary armament on certain super-heavy tanks, like [[Baneblade]]s and the [[Malcador (tank)|Malcador]].

The Demolisher fires special ammunition much larger than that used in the Battle Cannon, allowing it to punch through layers of concrete and plasteel alike. A Demolisher shell is constructed with an outer layer of standard high explosive and shrapnel, which surrounds a chemical core. Upon impact, the explosive layer detonates, punching a hole in the enemy's armor and spreading shrapnel over a wide area. It also starts a chemical reaction in the core, causing it to super-heat into a jet of plasma, which lances through the compromised armor, spreading molten death over a wide area and literally ripping the target from the inside out. The tremendous recoil produced by firing the cannon is capable of lifting the front end of a tank off the ground and, were it fired while moving, risk causing it to roll over.

{{Clear}}

==={{anchor|Nova Cannon}} Eradicator Nova Cannon===
[[File:Leman_Russ_Eradicator_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Eradicator Nova Cannon]]
The Eradicator Nova Cannon fires shells with an unstable "sub-atomic" core (yes, this just might be a tank cannon that fires ''mini-nukes''). These shells are somewhat hazardous to the tank and crew, as they have a non-zero probability of exploding if they get jostled while loading, so most [[Imperial Guard Regiment|regiments]] that use [[Leman Russ Eradicator]]s have a margin for crew losses, and that is without the off chance of radioactive leaks from a faulty shell.

The Eradicator is most effective supporting infantry forces fighting in areas such as cities and jungles, and it is easily replicated on dozens of Forge Worlds. For urban combat however the Eradicator does not feature the additional rear armor found on similar vehicles, leaving it vulnerable to attacks from behind.

They keep using the Nova cannon, though, because the shell's massive blast completely flattens any cover, so unless the targets are power armored, there's no escape for them (S6 AP4 = Instant Death for most standard infantry; less effective for beefier troops). Why a shell that detonates if it's shaken does not go off when it's fired from a freaking cannon is not completely explained by GW.

== {{anchor|Baneblade}} Super-Heavy Tank Guns ==

Technically, these guns can be carried and fired by a vehicle in direct combat, but because that vehicle has to be the size of a [[Baneblade]], they deserve a category of their own.

{{Clear}}

===Accelerator Cannon===
[[File:Fellblade_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Accelerator Cannon]]
The main gun of the [[Fellblade]]. It fired armor-piercing explosive ''self-guided'' "darts" via either magnetic acceleration or gravity impellers. It was also twin-linked, though the Fellblade had severely limited ammunition for it, relying mostly on its other weapons until a suitable target presented itself.

This type of cannon used a complex overpressure mechanisms of a special vacuum-based system which can propel heavy shells with greater force than a conventional cannon of similar size. This system is so efficient that they provide very little recoil from every shot, making the Accelerator cannon extremely stable and accurate. The loading mechanism of Accelerator cannon is also highly advanced and served by a special loading mechanism that allows the tank’s commander to switch ammunition type at a little notice.

It was made on the [[Forge World]] of Tigrus (home of the original Vanquisher cannon -- which resembles the Accelerator Cannon quite closely, with the long barrel and large muzzle brake). It can fire high-explosive shells comparable to a super-charged Battle Cannon (S8 AP3 7" Blast) or armor-piercing shells comparable to what would later become the Vanquisher battle cannon (S9 AP2 3" Blast, rolling 2d6 for armor penetration).

Its smaller brother is the Accelerator Autocannon.

{{Clear}}

===Macro-Accelerator Cannon===
[[File:MacAccelerator_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Macro-Accelerator Cannon]]
Think of the Accelerator Autocannon on steroids. The Macro-Accelerator Cannon is to the Accelerator Cannon in the same way the Accelerator Cannon is to the Accelerator Autocannon (Try and speak that sentence five times in a row).

The Macro-Accelerator Cannon is a large kinetic weapon used by the Primaris Space Marines' [[Astraeus Super-Heavy Tank|Astraeus Super-Heavy Grav Tank]] as its primary armament. The Macro-Accelerator Cannon is actually a complex mass driver that uses a potent electromagentic field to accelerate a barrage of high caliber ferro-carbide slugs to extremely high speeds. It is basically an upscaled Imperial railgun. Usually twin-linked, these weapons unleash an onslaught against which even enemy heavy armor cannot stand.

Crunchwise, the fluff seem to match the rules. The Macro-Accelerator Cannon is a vicious Heavy 12, S8, AP-2, Damage 3 that ignores all abilities that impose negative hit modifiers when targeting anything with the FLY keyword. Normal vehicles wouldn't even survive a barrage of these and superheavies would take a beating.

{{Clear}}

===Baneblade Cannon===
[[File:Banebladecannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Baneblade Cannon]]
The [[Baneblade]]'s primary cannon is an upscaled Battle Cannon, improved in strength, armor penetration, and blast radius (S9 AP2 10" blast = 10" wide [[lascannon]] pie-plate). Its special shells are not propelled by an explosion, but are rather miniature rockets that increases the shell's range and accuracy tremendously. However, this also leads to the danger of a build-up of gasses in the barrel, which can cause serious harm. To combat this the Baneblade Cannon is built with a double-sleeve design with venting ports studded around the cannon's muzzle, allowing these gasses to escape under their own pressure.

When fired the shell leaves the barrel under its own blast pressure with speed maintained whilst the rocket burns, with each booster burning out and falling away as the next one ignites. This means that the Baneblade's Cannon works on a similiar basis to a upscaled Bolter -- a feature that "counterfeit" Baneblades produced on other [[Forge World]]s are unable to reproduce, and so they substitute standard battle cannon rounds for them. There's no indication that they're much, if at all, different, though.

{{Clear}}

===Dreadhammer Cannon===
[[File:Dreadhammer.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Dreadhammer Cannon]]
Back in the [[Great Crusade]], [[Perturabo]] asked the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] to build him a new cannon that could level buildings with a single shell and be carried at a reasonable speed. Because the [[Horus Heresy]] hadn't happened yet, and they were thus still feeling like innovating now and then, the tech-priests agreed, and built him the Dreadhammer.

It fires shells that weigh several tons, and experiences so much recoil that even the super-heavy [[Typhon Heavy Siege Tank]] has to limit the propellant used (and thus the range) if it wants to fire on the move. At first, people made fun of Perturabo for asking for (and getting) a super-Demolisher, but it has a bigger blast radius and, if the Typhon stays still, a longer range, and it really does shake buildings to their foundations. The appearance, name, and firepower of the Dreadhammer cannon suggest some connection with the [[Baneblade]]-mounted [[#Hellhammer Cannon|Hellhammer cannon]].

{{Clear}}

===Hellhammer Cannon===
[[File:Hellhammer_cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Hellhammer Cannon]]
The comically small Hellhammer Cannon is the main weapon of the [[Hellhammer]] tank. Resembling a Baneblade with [[Lulz|micropenis issues]], this gun has spawned numerous compensation jokes at the tank's expense. Still, every nerd has its day and one thing the Hellhammer excels at is in its ability to fire [[Fallout|mini-nukes.]]

The Hellhammer Cannon fires shells with a building-busting sub-atomic charge (like the Eradicator Nova Cannon). Each shell weighs 180 kilograms and is propelled by a rocket motor, with exhaust vents on either side of the barrel allowing for the safe discharge of gas with every firing. Due to the sheer weight of the shells, an automatic loading tray assists the loader, limiting the weapon's rate of fire. The tremendous concussive explosion (S10 AP1 7" Blast) is enough to collapse a building in one shot (Ignores Cover), so crews are trained to fire at the ground floors of structures that need to come down. The short barrel and recoil compensators give the cannon a very short range (a measly 36"). As such, the Hellhammer cannon is only used on tanks that are built for urban combat, like the [[Hellhammer]] super-heavy tank.

{{Clear}}

===Quake Cannon===
[[File:Quake Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Quake Cannon]]
What has already been said about the Quake Cannon in the Autogun category has been said here. The Quake Cannon is an [[Awesome]] gun with a [[Stupid]] construction process. The quintessential fortress fucker supreme.

The Quake Cannon is an odd beast; its firepower is not unusual for a weapon of its size (S9 AP3 10" Blast), but it has a longer range than any other tank gun (180", only exceeded by the Earthshaker and Colossus cannons), and is normally an arm weapon for [[Warlord Battle Titan]]s.

It is occasionally mounted on a Baneblade chassis to make the [[Banesword]], essentially a super-heavy self-propelled artillery piece, primarily employed against fortifications. Also, it's ammunition is filled with the echoing shockwave of a world that was subjected to [[Exterminatus]], [[Awesome|and the sound it makes as it flies through the air is said to be the screams of those who died in the exterminatus that powered it.]]

{{Clear}}

=== Stormsword Siege Cannon ===
[[File:Stormsword_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Stormsword Siege Cannon]]
The Stormsword Siege Cannon fires big bunker-busting rocket-propelled shells. Unfortunately, the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] never considered that crews might want to fire at things other than ground floors of nearby buildings, so the cannon cannot elevate very far (though, if it did elevate too far, the recoil might just rip it out of the turret). It makes up for this by being able to turn entire city blocks to dust with a single shot.

The weapon and vehicle itself is built specifically for sieges and street-fighting, the Stormsword is geared towards providing troops close-quarter support with a variety of heavy weapons whilst its cannon is used to lay waste to entire encamped bunkers and buildings.

It used to be that the [[Stormsword]] just had a Hellhammer Cannon that couldn't swivel, but apparently that made them too similar, so in the sixth-edition version of [[Apocalypse]], GW made the Hellhammer Cannon a 7" blast and left the Stormsword with the 10" pie-plate.

{{Clear}}

===Tremor Cannon===
[[File:Tremor_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Tremor Cannon]]
Most cannons launch shells that are fuzed to explode on or shortly before impact. Not the [[Banehammer]]'s Tremor Cannon: after landing it buries into the ground before it detonates. This muffles the blast (S8 AP3 is actually the lowest-strength and worst AP of all the super-heavy tank guns), but it sends a tremendous shockwave through the earth that leaves enemies not caught in the blast stumbling and slowed. The fluff describes this as ''liquifying'' the surrounding terrain.

Imagine the ground under your feet giving way, suddenly having the consistency of water. By the time you've figured out what's happened, you're partially buried in the dirt and have to dig yourself out before the enemy comes and shoots you like a horse with a broken leg. And that's if you're lucky, it's entirely possible to get buried completely and suffocate to death under several feet of earth and rubble. You can see why it would be very, very bad to be on the receiving end of this weapon.

In theory it would also make a decent wall and bunker cracker.

==Artillery==

Sometimes, the Imperial Guard can't get in range to use tanks, or could, but only at a cost that even the [[Departmento Munitorum]] would find staggering, like when they are attacking enemy fortresses. To overcome such obstacles, the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] had a brilliant idea: make even bigger guns with a longer range. These guns are so big that they cannot be fired on the move; they are often built into static defensive positions, or for [[Imperial Guard Regiment|regiments]] that need to be more mobile, they may have guns placed on towed platforms, or on self-propelled chassis (see [[Imperial Ordnance Pieces]] for more information).

{{Clear}}

===Thunderfire Cannon===
[[File:SM-thunderfire.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Thunderfire Cannon]]
''Not to be confused with the [[Squats|SPESS DORF's]] [[Thunder-Fire Cannon]]. For the full page, [[Thunderfire Cannon|see here.]]''

{{Clear}}

===Griffon Heavy Mortar===
[[File:Griffon_Mortar.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Griffon Heavy Mortar]]
The Griffon Heavy Mortar is the smallest and lightest of the artillery guns. This weapon has been a source of [[Skub]] in-universe.

Critics of the Griffon claim that its main weapon is too small to warrant its vehicular mounting, while tying up fire control and observation assets needed by much larger pieces. For its supporters though, the Griffon is the ideal compromise between weight, firepower, mobility and ease of use. Its heavy mortar is excellent against infantry and light vehicles, freeing heavier artillery for use against more appropriate targets, and can maintain a high rate of fire. The vehicle is also capable of keeping pace with rapid advances for which heavier vehicles like the Basilisk are too slow to maintain.

Its firepower is not impressive (it's S6 AP-1 and ignores cover), and its range is also relatively short (48"), but because it is so small and light, it can sustain higher rates of fire than other guns and, when carried in the heavy chassis of a [[Griffon Heavy Mortar Carrier]], it can be fired indirectly and roll two dice dropping the lowest for number of attacks).

{{Clear}}

===Stormshard Mortar===
[[File:Stormshard_Mortar.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Stormshard Mortar]]
Take a mortar and give it the firepower of a machinegun. [[Dakka|You get yourselves a Stormshard Mortar.]]

The Stormshard Mortar is an artillery system commonly mounted in two pairs on Imperial Guard [[Wyvern Suppression Tank|Wyverns.]] These mortars excel in urban warfare, firing shrapnel down on enemy infantry without exposing the vehicle itself to harm. It is a fairly close range weapon for artillery, but it is needed in the heavily tight space of Hive Cities where the chance of an artillery shell hitting the rooftops of some poor hobo's house is actually quite high.

Because of the chance of facing against [[Tyranids|Horde]] [[Orks|Armies]], the Wyvern mounts not one, but ''TWO'' sets of Stormshards. These means that these badboys carry four mortars on one turret. [[Rape|Add to the fact that they can fire on auto and you have a weapon system that eats Swarmers for breakfast.]] All of the fucking yes!

Given it's similarity to the Heavy Quad-Launcher, it is likely the same weapon firing different ammo.

{{Clear}}

===Earthshaker Cannon===
[[File:Earthshaker2.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Earthshaker Cannon]]
The Earthshaker Cannon is the [[#Battle Cannon|Battle Cannon]] of artillery pieces: common, highly recognizable and very lethal (S9 AP-3 Dd3 anywhere within twenty feet). It fires its shots further than any weapon except for the [[Manticore Launcher Tank]] and [[Deathstrike Missile Launcher]].

This 132mm caliber weapon has a muzzle velocity of 814 meters per second and fires a 38 kg projectile, hitting targets over 15 km away in under 19 seconds, using the standard five powder charge.

Six and seven powder charges can be used to hit targets well beyond this range, however the additional wear and stress this causes on the barrel limits the number of overcharged rounds to twenty, with authorization for their use required. Only Earthshakers on static mounts can fire these charges, as vehicle mounts are considered too unstable for their use. The most common type of shell fired by Earthshakers are high explosive, but it can also launch incendiary, smoke, illumination, and even diamantine-tipped armor piercing shells. Shells fired by Earthshakers have been known to cause craters fifteen meters in diameter and obliterate infantry in an instant.

The Earthshaker is most often mounted on the [[Basilisk Artillery Gun|Basilisk self-propelled artillery tank,]] though it also appears in static artillery positions as well as built into fortifications.

Amusingly enough despite being depicted as an artillery gun in 40k, the Earthshaker is modeled after the long-barelled WWII German [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8.8_cm_Flak_18/36/37/41 Flak 88] rather than a field howitzer from the same epoch.

{{Clear}}

===Medusa Siege Cannon===
[[File:MedusaGun.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Medusa Siege Cannon]]
The Medusa Siege Gun is an aging siege weapon used by the Imperial Guard both as a towed artillery piece and mounted on the [[Medusa (tank)|Medusa Siege Tank.]] Compared to the Earthshaker Cannon the Medusa fires a much larger shell at lower velocities. This gives it immense destructive capabilities, useful in breaching the walls of an enemy fortress or destroying bunkers in a single shot, but it consequently has a much shorter firing range, even compared to other siege weapons like the Bombard. For this reason they are less useful for harassing and counter-battery fire, but are still prized by many siege regiments for their ability to blast enemy walls, installations, bunkers and trenches.

The Medusa Siege Cannon is the shortest-ranged of the Imperium's artillery weapons at 36" (Breacher shells on the carriage to 48"), but it is not meant to launch munitions over fortified walls; rather, it is meant to shoot fortifications directly and destroy them (which it certainly does, at S10 AP-3 Dd3) -- and when regular shells aren't enough, they can fire special Breacher shells that sacrifice indirect fire for d6 damage to buildings.

{{Clear}}

===Colossus Siege Mortar===
[[File:ColossusSiegeMortar.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Colossus Siege Mortar]]
The Colossus Siege Mortar is huge, cumbersome and highly destructive, and it's so large that its shells have to be loaded by cranes instead of by hand. It fires massive concussive rounds that will turn its target to paste (as long as it's a human wearing something less than terminator armor -- S6 AP-2 Dd3 is good against infantry blobs, not so much for harder targets), even if they are hiding in cover.

Because one cannon wasn't enough, the Imperium built the Dominus Armored Siege Bombard, a variant of the [[CRASSUS ARMORED ASSAULT TRANSPORT]] that carries an automated ''trio'' of Colossus cannons (though the Dominus only costs as much as two [[Colossus Bombard|Colossi]]...which actually makes sense, as the Colossi are built on a Leman Russ chassis where-as the Dominus just has to pay for an extra cannon, not a whole new vehicle to carry it).

{{Clear}}

===Dominus Triple Bombard===
[[File:DominusTripleBombard.png|200px|right|thumb|Dominus Triple Bombard]]
Hey! Remember how we said that a certain Imperium vehicle was actually big enough to mount not one, but THREE Colossus Siege Mortars? Well here it is, the Dominus Triple Bombard found only on the DOMINUS ARMOURED SIEGE BOMBARD. This monster is a god damned tarpit cleanser.

An automated battery of three Bombard cannons rigged to fire together in sequence, it can pulverize anything caught within its field of fire. The Triple Bombard has two rates of fire: a slower rate the Dominus is limited to when on the move, and the second a higher rate for sustained fire when it is stationary.

In practice the Dominus throws [[Rape|10d6 S10 ap-3 shots with indirect fire when stationary,]] easily wiping any unit foolish enough to be larger than 5 models. S10 Ap3 is also a serious threat to any armor short of a titan, and the weight of shots pretty much guarantees an overkill of single model targets.

{{Clear}}

===Basilisk Magnus===
[[File:SoulstormBasiliskMagnus.png|200px|right|thumb|Basilisk Magnus]]
Get a Earthshaker Cannon. [[Drug|Pump it full of steroids and growth hormones]] and make it big enough to launch an [[Angry Marine]] at full force. Ladies and gentlemen, the Basilisk Magnus is born. Seriously, this thing is the size of a [[Baneblade]].

Exclusive in [[Dawn of War]] or more specifically, the Soulstorm expansion. The Basilisk Magnus is a large artillery platform, defending the 252nd Conservator Regiment's stronghold in the Dussala Precinct on Kaurava I. It fires devastating rounds that creates a wide area of destruction, though it needs a spotter to acquire targets. If the artillery spotter is killed before the Basilisk Magnus' operators receive the targeting information, it will not be able to fire.

This honking piece of [[Rape]] was notorious for hitting something as small as a [[Gretchin]] from one end of the map. Shame there isn't a tabletop conversion....yet.

<gallery>
image:Basilisk_Magnus.jpg
</gallery>

{{Clear}}

===Thunder-Fire Cannon===
[[File:Thunder-FireCannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Thunder'''-Fire''' Cannon]]
''Not to be confused with the SPESS MEHREEN's [[Thunderfire Cannon]]. For the full page, [[Thunder-Fire Cannon|see here.]]''

{{Clear}}

===Nemesis Quake Cannon===
[[File:99560108206_WarbringerTitanQuakeCannon01.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Nemesis Quake Cannon]]
The Quake Cannon on steroids, or the holy lovechild between a Quake Cannon and a Gatling Blaster, [[Skub|whichever you ask.]] These monsters are possibly the largest gun model ever made by Games Workshop on tabletop....''for now'' at least. Mounted on the new and shiny [[Warbringer Nemesis Titan]]. This giant six-shot revolver of doom is designed to kill enemy Titans on sight, thus in any sensible usage, this weapon is regulated at the back lines as a giant sniper, unfortunately the Imperium [[Herp|lacks any sensibility]] and uses these as front line weapons instead. Nevertheless, having a fast firing Quake Cannon '''''is''''' a boon to any forces as now you have a very quick way to whither down the [[Void shields|Void Shields]] of enemy Titans in a quick and efficient manner rather than risking the time reloading. And seeing how this Titan gained prominence during the [[Horus Heresy]] when [[Emperor Battle Titan|Emperor Battle Titans]] were common enough to be thrown left and right like normal battle tanks, the nature of this weapon makes a whole load of sense. This cannon also works wonders against heavily fortified encampments and any forms of fortifications in general due to the monumental concussive force unleashed as its shell impacts the ground setting off powerful localized earthquakes. Overall, what has been said on the [[Autogun]] page has already been mostly stated here.

However there is a reason why this giant dick cannon is here. It also functions extremely well as artillery. Unlike the more average Quake Cannon which is restricted to purely a superheavy tank gun due to the design of the Banesword; preventing any proper gun elevation, let alone install a proper turret and hit anything beyond 90 degrees. The Warbringer Titan is a big enough platform to not only mount a supersized Quake Cannon, but also spacious enough to install a proper turret module and some proper elevation. This allows the Nemesis Quake Cannon to launch its bullets in an arc and turns it into a supersized Earthshaker Cannon.

Of course, it is a designated Titan-killer first and foremost, but the nature of the Quake Shell also means that - as aforementioned before - it could function amazingly well against fortresses and entire fleets of smaller ground vehicles. The powerful concussive shockwaves would liquefy the grounds of enemy armor, forcing them to halt its advance and even sink them through the ground if the terrain collapse. It could also weaken the foundations of fortress walls and bunkers, causing it to collapse on itself or outright shattering the walls through brute force.

===Goliath Mega-Cannon===
[[File:GoliathCannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Goliath Mega-Cannon]]
A hilariously [[Dick|phallic]] weapon made by [[Squats|They-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named]]. The Goliath Mega-Cannon, both the gun ''and'' [[Goliath Mega-Cannon|the vehicle]] (Don't tell us why they decided to name both weapon and vehicle the same) is one of the largest artillery pieces ever known and fielded.

Basically each shell weighed several tons and was powerful enough to shatter entire fortifications and turn a fleet of Baneblades inside out. These motherfuckers were the Schwerer Gustav in all but name.

Curiously, the gun never really needed any shock absorbers to control the immense recoil. However it could be that the Goliath Mega-Cannon (The vehicle, not the gun) doesn't need one as the vehicle's own base ''is'' the gun's base.

The power of the Goliath means that each cannon fires its own barrage template. A Goliath attack is worth four barrage points plus the roll of a D6, giving a score between 5 and 10. The super heavy shells fired by the Goliath are so good at reducing fortifications to rubble that it ignores hit modifiers for cover altogether.

The Goliath lobs its shells high into the air to achieve its mammoth range, but it can't depress its barrel to hit a very close target. This means a Goliath can't shoot at targets closer than 50cm, so it has a min range of 50cm. They also don't have any self-defense secondary weapons so you need a few Thunder-Fire Cannons to offer cover support and picking off any units near the Goliath.

Of course, all of these rules are now outdated. But it is pretty cool to see the power it once had.

{{Clear}}

===Behemoth Cannon===
[[File:Behemoth_Cannon.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Behemoth Cannon]]
The largest artillery field piece to date. Until GW decides to one-up themselves and invent a even ''bigger'' artillery piece.

The Behemoth Cannon is a massive weapon that is the primary armament of the [[Capitol Imperialis]]. The giant landships that can be mistaken for a city block and is tall enough that a goddamned motherfucking [[Warlord Battle Titan]] can use for cover. The Behemoth Cannon is so large that four [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]]s could fit within its barrel (Although the models and artwork definitely disagrees with that statement), and the concussive force of firing the weapon can produce a mushroom cloud and shake the earth itself.

It is basically a land-bound and more mobile version of a Macrocannon.
{{clear}}
{{Template:40k-Imperial-Weapons}}
[[Category:Warhammer_40,000]][[Category:Imperial]]