Basilisk Artillery Gun

2017-12-31T02:04:27Z

2A02:C7D:94E8:6E00:6C5F:1118:5B50:2ACB:

:''This article is about the [[Imperial Guard]] artillery tank. For the creature, see [[Basilisk]].''
''"Artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl."''

-Frederick II of Prussia

''"Big guns never tire."''

-[[Lugft Huron]]

''"SHATTER. THEIR. SKY!"''

-Basilisk commander from Dawn of War 1, about to fire the [[rape|earth shaker round]].
[[Image:Basilisk.png|thumb|right|It's almost as fuckawesome as the [[Baneblade]].]]
The '''Basilisk Artillery Gun''' is the iconic [[Imperial Guard]] self-propelled artillery piece. It is based on the versatile [[Chimera]] chassis, and it carries a massive [[Earthshaker]] cannon. It dates at least as far back as the [[Great Crusade]], where it was used by the artillery batteries of the [[Space Marine]] Legions and Imperial Army; though they were too slow for the slimmer, faster post-[[Codex Astartes]] Space Marines, they could move at just the right pace to keep up with an [[Imperial Guard]] siege operation.

Of course, given its tremendous range, it doesn't need to move very fast to keep pounding the enemy, and it's not supposed to be at the front line -- rather, the Basilisk crews get told where to shoot, they launch great quantities of shells in that direction, and then they move away before they get hit by counter-battery fire.

== Variants ==
; Standard Pattern: You know'em, you love'em. The OG Basilisk with the famous gun shield. It is by far one of the most iconic vehicles from the Imperium of Man, let alone the Imperial Guard and stands equal with the [[Leman Russ Battle Tank]], [[Baneblade]], [[Land Raider]] and [[Rhino]] as most famous tank.
; Armageddon Pattern : Because [[Armageddon]] is a <s>desert world</s> irradiated, poisonous shithole, they developed a Basilisk pattern that fully enclosed the entire tank, sheltering the loading mechanism (and, coincidentally, the loader and gunner) from the harsh environment.
; Basilisk Magnus : A variant of the Basilisk fielded by [[Vance Motherfucking Stubbs]]. It's like a regular Basilisk, except it can strike targets anywhere within the Imperial Dussala Precinct base, fires an absurdly powerful Earthshaker shell, and has styrofoam for armor. However along with the 100 [[Baneblade]]s, Stubbs lost the targeting matrix for the thing and so it requires a spotter every time it shoots. Its size compared to the turret and crew suggest it would also be as well proportioned for mounting on a Macharius tank chassis as a normal Earthshaker is on a chimera chassis. Dis gon b gud.
; Legion Basilisk : Before the [[Codex Astartes]] reforms, the [[Space Marine Legions]] operated some artillery of their own, including the Basilisk. The gun shield and crew compartment looks beefier, and the engine exhausts run out the sides of the tank.
; Vanaheim Pattern : It's the same as the original Basilisk, with a less goofy-looking gun shield which offers additional protection for the gun crew from both the front and sides. Although its overall protection is not to the extent as that of the Armageddon Pattern or the Legion Basilisks.

<gallery>
File:OG_Basilisk.jpg|Standard Pattern Basilisk.
File:armageddon-basilisk.jpg|Armageddon Pattern Basilisk.
File:Legion_basilisk.jpg|Legion Basilisk of [[Iron Warriors]].
File:Vanaheim_Basilisk.jpg|A Imperial Guard Vanaheim Pattern Basilisk.
</gallery>

== Tabletop ==

The Basilisk's Earthshaker has the longest finite range of any Imperial Guard weapon (exceeded only by the infinite-range [[hunter-killer missile]] and [[Deathstrike missile]], and the I.A. 300 inch range [[Manticore Launcher Tank|Manticore Missile]], but apparently no-one ever includes those), able to drop an S9 AP3 large blast anywhere within 20 feet (which is pitifully small when scaled up to real-world dimensions...but so are all 40K weapon ranges). A single IG army can have up to nine of these monsters (three per Heavy Support slot, times three Heavy Support choices) for just over 1000 points, which will rapidly turn the entire field into a moonscape. It only gets worse in [[Apocalypse]] games, when the force organization chart limitations are lifted and units start getting vaporized from across the room.

As of 8th Edition,the Basilisk received some much needed love. S9 AP3 Damage D3 (hits 2d6-pick highest) turns this once slightly overpriced, but largley unreliable gun into a devastating anti-vehicle weapon (Or anti MEQ+ for that matter). For instance, say you roll to hit a 3 and a 5. Picking the highest, that is 5 damage:3 hits. Against the bog standard T7 APC/MC, the basilisk has a good chance at scoring about <s>4 AP3 wounds, possibly demolishing any light vehicle it hits in a single salvo, and crippling most tanks if th D3 damage rolls well</s> you still have to roll to hit, meaning on average you get a max of 3 hits if you roll a 6 sorry guys, still just okay. With a price reduction to 108pts (w/heavybolter), the Basilisk easily becomes one of the most cost-efficient choices for tank shredding in this edition.
Note however "cost efficient". The Manticore launcher will provide more destruction lb for lb if you just want to plonk 1 ordinance on the field. The maximum of 6 wounds also renders the basilisk rather dull against most large squads(but it will take a chunk out of any [[Primaris Marines|numarine]] squad!) The Basilisk truly shines in groups with a master of ordinance and a cup of hot cocoa.

In ''Second Edition'', where it first appeared, the Basilisk featured epic levels of [[RAGE|bullshit]] since it rolled a D3 for damage to vehicles even if it ''didn't'' penetrate armour, and since the template usually hit every location on the vehicle it was statistically likely that anything hit by a Basilisk would be crippled or destroyed even if all AP rolls failed. Thanks to the preliminary barrage rule, it also got to fire a battle cannon round (somehow) before the game had actually started.

Thanks to the new "Emperors Wrath Artillery Company" out of the Mont'ka book, Basilisks can now accept Smite at Will (Split Fire), Suppressing Fire (Pinning), and Fire on My Target ([[Rape|IGNORES COVER]]) orders. All of these are hilarious under the right circumstances, but another special rule opens the door for truly unprecedented levels of [[Rape]]. Any unit with a vox can designate an enemy unit within 18" that has LOS. All attacks from artillery units within the formation are twin linked against that target. Deep striking Scion artillery spotters anyone?

==[[Dawn of War]]==
These babies were in dawn of war 1 and BY THE EMPEROR they are awesome. They are one of the "must get units" for the imperial guard faction because they makes up guardsman's shitty early game when they don't have more models and plasma gun upgrade and they are one of the reasons people plays imperial guards (the others being BANEEEEEBLADE and commissar). They are best at blow up infantry blob and scatter them like frigging marbles for the guardsmens to finish them up. Most importantly, their earth shaker round deals a fuck load of damage to ANYTHING.

==Notable Basilisks==
; Fluffy : The personal attack vehicle/pet of [[Commissar Dan]]. Being the retard that he is, he uses the thing as a front line assault tank instead of a full-time artillery piece.

== Why A Basilisk is The Best Place To Be In The Whole Goddamn Imperium ==

* You're ten miles from the front lines and whatever [[Grimdark|fanged horrors]] or [[World Eaters|berserk]] supersoldiers are invading the [[Imperium]] this week.
* You get to fire a MASSIVE fucking gun and blow shit up. It's one of the best artillery weapons in the galaxy, able to mow down whole swathes of armies in minutes. Thus, the [[Tyranid]]s numerical superiority is irrelevant.
* If your regiment is commanded by [[Creed]], you're one of a select few that knows how it is possible to deploy a dozen pieces of mobile artillery inside an impenetrable [[Ork]] stronghold.
* All the [[Commissar|commissars]] (save [[Ciaphas Cain|one]]) are also at the front lines, seeing as that is where the business of executing cowards is most want{{BLAM|'''*BLAM*''' A Commissar's duty is upholding morale, not wanton execution!}}
* You can probably even get away with complaining about the [[High Lords of Terra]] and their general not giving a shit, seeing as there are no senior officers, no [[Inquisitor]]s (since you're probably in a depopulated area far away from Inquisitorial interest), and no fucking [[Commissar|commiss]]{{BLAM}}
* You're not at risk of being blown up when your commander tells the artillery to shoot right in front of his own troops. Though you will probably hear their screams over your vox-unit, and any complaints about your orders will get you {{BLAM}}'med.
* Canon says you're going to go deaf, but whatever right? Hearing problems are the least [[grimdark]] thing in the entire setting. Or just stuff your ears with wads from your [[Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer|Uplifting Primer-]]{{BLAM}}
* Not just anybody can drive one of these, therefore you are not as expendable as other Guardsmen, and Commissars are less likely to shoot you if you start fleeing (which is frankly what you '''SHOULD''' do if the enemy comes close to your art{{BLAM}}

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Basilisk Artillery Gun