Editing Leman Russ Battle Tank (section)

==={{anchor|Executioner}}Leman Russ Executioner===
[[File:LemRus_Executioner.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Leman Russ Executioner.]]

The last of the "Siege" pattern Russes, the '''Leman Russ Executioner''' was deployed in large numbers during the [[Great Crusade]], when the [[Imperium]] used to [//www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTOwMeimSl4&t=18s field them by the regiment]. Unfortunately, due to the post-Heresy drop in manufacturing capacity for complex plasma mechanisms, even most [[Forge World]]s can't build a [[Plasma Destroyer]] these days. Although strangely the Imperium has no difficulty making *other* plasma technology, and since most Forge Worlds barfed out advanced plasma weapons by the bushel during the Great Crusade, the only possible explanation for how this specific technology could be lost while everything else remained is the [[Grimdark]] (despite there being three different patterns of Executioner cannon for Leman Russ tanks made: Ryza, Mars and a third generic pattern found in the plastic kit).

The Executioner's [[Plasma Destroyer]] is a powerful if temperamental weapon with an extremely high energy output. Due to the unstable nature of the weapon the Ryza-pattern Executioner incorporates several safety features (to be fair to the Imperium, even it does have lots of safety features and protocols for its mooks; it just doesn’t care when those fail). Emergency vents in the turret help disperse the heat produced by each shot while protective heat shielding screens the crew and allows enough time to escape the vehicle in the event of a minor containment field failure. Many also include an emergency chemical coolant tank in the rear of the vehicle which connects with the weapon through two coolant lines running across the top of the turret. However these exposed lines can be severed by enemy fire, a contributing factor to many green Executioner crews abandoning the tank at the first sign of trouble since a catastrophic failure can result in the destruction of the tank and anything else in a large area around it. Those who are found to have abandoned their tanks can expect to face harsh punishment, [[Blam|even death,]] for such a crime from their regiment's Commissar. Interesting how they’re “rare” yet given to green crews apparently often. Vanquishers are rare, too, but only given to the best crews.

Jokingly called the "Leman Russ Trollface" or "Leman Russ Blast Template Dropper" by some players, the Executioner is the bane of [[Space Marines]] everywhere, for it packs a Plasma Cannon that fires in 3-round bursts. For maximum hilarity, pair with Plasma Cannon sponsons and dump 5 Plasma Cannon shots per turn from one vehicle, and try not to laugh when killing about double the tank's point cost in heavy infantry every turn. This used to be the bane of Terminator-heavy armies that had gotten used to being nigh-on invulnerable to conventional weaponry; but when this tank reared its head, it dethroned the kings of the battlefield.