Baneblade Homebrew

As the image to the right indicates, there are 6 prefixes and 4 suffixes for Baneblade names so there are 24 possible Baneblade variants. As the image also indicates, only 11 of these 24 variants are filled. This is a homebrew page that intends to fix that. After the Stormsabre was added, a fifth suffix in -sabre was introduced, producing 5 more empty spots in a new column. Additionally the Fellblade's two variants, the Glaive and the Falchion might produce two more suffixes, though those two could be held as elite exclusives too.

Bane-

Because sometimes, you want vanilla.

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Banelord

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Fluff:

The Imperium has a long history of advanced anti-tank gunnery, using long-ranged platforms like the Leman Russ Vanquisher to devastating effect. The Banelord represents the pinnacle of the high-mobility anti-tank ‘sniper’ vehicle, being a stripped-down Baneblade chassis with its turret crammed full of an extremely long smoothebore Reaction Cannon. This weapon fires long flechette rounds composed of depleted transuranium which are capable of piercing through unbelievably thick armour plates and then scouring the interior of a target clean with heat and radiation. Unfortunately, the complicated loading systems needed to feed the lengthy projectiles in the gun, combined with the heavy shielding that protects the crew from their radioactivity, means that interior space in a Banelord is at a premium.

The end result is a superior and surprisingly agile tank hunter with little to no anti-infantry weaponry, making their use very situational. Often complained about is the grossly oversized barrel of the reaction cannon- while it ensures excellent accurarcy, it is so large the turret cannot be reasonably traversed in any kind of close quarters, and actually makes it impossible for a Banelord to fire against vehicles that get too close. Still, their flexibility as the only truly turreted tank-hunting Baneblade variant have gained them a devoted following among the few Astra Militarum regiments that can afford to keep them deployed. The Reaction canon turret has also become a favorite anti armor weapon of Imperial fortress engineers and architects, frequently placed in numbers at the lower levels against enemy armor and some in towers and battlements to take down enemy Titans and protect the artillery and AA emplacements against deepstriking vehicles. Various wags among the Munitorum and the Mechanicus have pointed out that the name of the Banelord, by random coincidence, is the same as the general designation for a class of heavy Titan used by the Traitor Legions, specifically the corrupted Warlord Pattern Titans- whether this was deliberate on the part of the Munitorum or sheer chance is unclear. Crews of ‘real’ Banelords are justifiably proud of their vehicle’s ability to take down ‘copycats’.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for an Astra Militarum, Grand Convocation or Castellans of the Imperium army or as part of the Super-Heavy Support Element or 'Emperor's Fury' Super-Heavy Company formations.

	BS	HP	Front Armour	Side Armour	Back Armour	Unit Type	Points Cost
Banelord	3	9	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	515

Wargear:

• Demolisher Cannon
• Searchlight
• Smoke Launchers
• Reaction Cannon

Name	Range	S	AP	Type
Reaction Cannon	36"	10	2	Primary Weapon 1, Blast, Armourbane, Chain Reaction

Special Rules:

• Chain Reaction: When this weapons causes a penetrating hit, add 4 to the result on the vehicle damage chart. If this causes an "Explodes!" result, add 4 inches to the radius of the explosion or lose an extra D3 hull points if the target is a Super-Heavy Vehicle.

Options:

• May take up to two sets of side sponsons, each with a twin-linked Heavy Bolter and a Lascannon for 50pts per set
• May take a Pintle Mounted Storm Bolter or Heavy Stubber for 5pts
• May take a Hunter-Killer Missile for 10pts
• In apocalypse games the vehicle may take one of the following options:
  • Commisariat Crew for 45pts
  • Command Tank for 200pts

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Doom-

Because Doom!

Doomblade

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Fluff:

The Skitarii of the Adeptus Mechanicus generally prefer to use their own vehicle designs rather than those issued to the Militarum, seeing the latter designs as too primitive for proper use. There are exceptions, however, and the Doomblade is a prominent one. The name refers to a broad category of Mechanicus Baneblade vehicles, replacing the conventional armament of the original with the specialized energy and physics-manipulation weapons favored by the Taghmata. There are dozens of sub-variants of the Doomblade, but common to all of them is the ferocious Rotor Conversion Beamer, an archeotech weapon using the same antimatter-conversion technology favored by the Space Marines. Though difficult to use against moving targets, the ability of a Conversion Beamer to atomically annihilate literally all kinds of matter makes it a devastating weapon when fired against... anything, really. As the Beamer needs to be stationary to launch dozens of searing antimatter beams, the Doomblade is primarily a defensive weapon, parked on the Taghmata frontlines as a mobile strongpoint. Many outside the Mechanicus are unaware that the variant exists, simply convinved that the 'doomblade' is a rumor or confabulation. Those who have seen one in action, however, tell otherwise. Though short-ranged and mostly immobile, a functional Doomblade is a whirling storm of electromagnetic energies, melting, searing and crushing the enemies of the Mechanicus with unnerring precision. Oddly enough, however, the hull of a Doomblade seldom undergoes any kind of modification, and thus these triumphs of advanced technology are no tougher than their conventional counterparts.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for a Mechanicum, Cult Mechanicus, Skitarii, or Grand Convocation army. If taken for a Mechanicum army then Grav-Cannons and Heavy Grav-Cannons are unavailable. If taken for a Cult Mechanicus, Skitarii or Grand Convocation army then Graviton Cannons and Graviton Guns are unavailable.

	BS	HP	Front Armour	Side Armour	Back Armour	Unit Type	Points Cost
Doomblade	4	9	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	???

Wargear:

• Volkite Culverin
• Twin-linked Volkite Caliver
• Cognis Servitor: The Doomblade may fire Overwatch despite being a vehicle.
• Gatling Conversion Beamer

Name	Range	S	AP	Type
Gatling Conversion Beamer
Short Range	18"	6	-	Primary Weapon 3, Large Blast, Firing Calibration
Medium Range	18-42"	8	4	Primary Weapon 3, Large Blast, Firing Calibration
Long Range	42-72"	10	1	Primary Weapon 3, Large Blast, Firing Calibration

Options:

• May replace the Volkite Culverin with a Heavy Grav-Cannon or Graviton Cannon for free
• May replace its twin-linked Volkite Caliver with a Grav-Cannon with Grav-Amp or twin-linked Graviton Gun for free.
• May take up to two sets of sponsons, each with a twin-linked Volkite Caliver and Cognis Lascannon for +???pts per set
  • Any sponson may have its twin-linked Volkite Caliver replaced with a Grav-Cannon with Grav-Amp or twin-linked Graviton Gun for free
• May take a pintle-mounted Cognis Heavy Stubber for +5pts
• May take a Hunter-Killer Missile for +10pts

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Doomlord

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Fluff:

Probably the single most uncommon Baneblade variant, and certainly one of the strangest, the Doomlord is a mobile artillery platform which can best be described as the nightmare child of three Basilisk artillery vehicles and a half-dozen industrial gyroscopes. Consisting of a sponson-less Baneblade chassis with a triple-Earthshaker turret mounted atop it, the silhouette of a Doomlord is unmistakable on the battlefield. Many wonder why anyone would employ a single gigantic triple-Earthshaker instead of three much smaller, subtler and less expensive Basilisks, and the answer lies in the Doomlord's turret. This miracle of mechanical stabilization keeps the vehicle's fire platform rock-steady in even the most catastrophic conditions- the gun mantles can take direct hits from Battle Cannon shells and momentum compensation systems will keep them solidly on target. The Doomlord's other advantage is its mobility- it can maintain a constant and hyper-precise stream of indirect fire while maneuvering to avoid counter-battery fire or interception from the air. For all that, however, it is not a direct combat weapon, and the limitations of its stabilizers keep the three Earthshakers from being effective in anything other than extreme-range fire. Though they are quite capable of operating with the full complement of secondary weapons afforded a Baneblade, most Doomlords are stripped-down, removing some of the armour of the vehicle in exchange for somewhat higher mobility and capacity for acceleration. The turret itself has become nearly the standard for some Fortress Worlds defensive walls, the gyroscopes allowing for rapid and accurate fire from a stable gun platform.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for an Astra Militarum, Grand Convocation or Castellans of the Imperium army or as part of the Super-Heavy Support Element or 'Emperor's Fury' Super-Heavy Company formations.

	BS	HP	Front Armour	Side Armour	Back Armour	Unit Type	Points Cost
Doomlord	3	9	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	???

Wargear:

• Demolisher Cannon
• Twin-linked Heavy Bolter
• Searchlight
• Smoke Launchers
• Tri-Earthshaker Cannon: The Tri-Earthshaker Cannon cannot be leveled for direct fire and may only engage targets with the Barrage rules at a minimum range of 24".

Name	Range	S	AP	Type
Tri-Earthshaker Cannon	24-240"	9	3	Primary Weapon 1, Apocalyptic Blast, Barrage, Pinning, Twin-linked, Shred, Sunder

Options:

• May take up to two sets of side sponsons, each with a twin-linked Heavy Bolter and a Lascannon for 50pts per set
• May take a Pintle Mounted Storm Bolter or Heavy Stubber for 5pts
• May take a Hunter-Killer Missile for 10pts
• In apocalypse games the vehicle may take one of the following options:
  • Commisariat Crew for 45pts
  • Command Tank for 200pts

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Doomsword

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Fluff:

A close cousin to the Doomblade, the Doomsword is a far more sinister vehicle. Used by the Taghmata in situations where an organic infestation must absolutely, positively be permanently expunged from an area, the Doomsword is best described at a nuclear area-denial vehicle. Its plasma reactor replaced with a closed cell atomic pile and its hull thickened by layer upon layer of supplementary rad-wards, its massive bulk trundles slowly and mercilessly across the battlefield, leaving behind nothing but desolation in its wake. Its primary Irradiation Carronade is a short-ranged shotgun-liked device that fires a cloud of extraordinarily radioactive transuranic metal powder, creating a boiling sea of subatomic instability that cooks the crews of tanks, scrambles sensors, and reduces the hardiest of infantry to ash. Doomswords are obviously an extremely situational weapon, and one which is heavily controlled by the Mechanicus. Their ability to produce radioactive contamination on a level capable of harming even combat automata, combined with the disastrous possibility of their reactor going critical, makes fielding one an exercise in calculated risk. Any wary enemy of the Doomsword also must tread carefully when attacking them- while a Doomsword is a slow and very easy target, damaging one too heavily can render an entire battlefield permanently uninhabitable.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for a Mechanicum, Cult Mechanicus, Skitarii or Grand Convocation army.

	BS	HP	Front Armour	Side Armour	Back Armour	Unit Type	Points Cost
Doomlord	4	9	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	???

Wargear:

• Irradiation Engine
• Twin-linked Irrad-Cleanser
• Searchlight
• Smoke Launchers
• Cognis Servitor: The Doomlord may fire Overwatch despite being a vehicle.
• Irradiation Carronade

Name	Range	S	AP	Type
Irradiation Carronade	Hellstorm	6	1	Primary Weapon 1, Fleshbane, Rad-Phage

Special Rules:

• Radiation Vent: During the assault phase the Doomsword may vent it's radioactive gasses as a protection measure. Every model within 3" of the Doomsword must pass a Toughness test or suffer a wound with no armor saves allowed.

Options:

• May take up to two sets of side sponsons, each with a twin-linked Irrad-Cleanser and a Cognis Lascannon for 50pts per set
• May take a Pintle Mounted Cognis Heavy Stubber for 5pts
• May take a Hunter-Killer Missile for 10pts

Fell-

Because Space marine wanted Baneblades. All of these are veterans of the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, with weapons and technology far in advance of anything seen in the 41st Millenium.

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Fellhammer

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Fluff:

The Fellhammer is a rare variant of the Fellglaive mounting a massive Graviton Cannon in place of the Volkite Carronade. The Graviton Destroyer was fully replaced with the Grav Destroyer after the Horus Heresy.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for an Legiones Astartes Crusade or Space Marines army. If taken as part of a Space Marines army then it has +1 Ballistic skill, cannot take the Command Tank or Space Marine Legion Crew upgrades, may only take a Heavy Bolter, Heavy Flamer or Multi-Melta as a pintle-mounted weapon and costs 15 points more. If taken for a Legiones Astartes Crusade army then the Fellhammer uses the Gravitron Destroyer, if taken for a Space Marines army then the Fellhammer uses the Grav-Destroyer.

	BS	HP	Front Armour	Side Armour	Back Armour	Unit Type	Points Cost
Fellhammer	3	12	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	???

Wargear:

• Twin-linked Heavy Bolter
• Searchlight
• Smoke Launchers
• Two Sponson Quad Lascannons
• Graviton Destroyer or Grav-Destroyer and Grav Amp

Name	Range	S	AP	Type
Graviton Destroyer	72"	*	4	Primary Weapon 1, Massive Blast, Haywire, Graviton Pulse, Concussive
Grav-Destroyer	36"	*	2	Primary Weapon 9, Graviton, Concussive

Options:

• May replace any of its sponson Quad Lascannons with Laser Destroyers for free.
• May take a Pintle Mounted Twin-linked Bolter for +5pts, Combi-Weapon for +10pts, Heavy Bolter, Havoc Launcher or Heavy Flamer for +15pts or Multi-Melta for +20pts
• May be upgraded to a Command Tank for +25pts
• May be upgraded to take Space Marine Legion Crew for +15pts
• May take up to one of each of any of the following:
  • Hunter Killer Missile for +10pts
  • Armoured Ceramite for +25pts
• May replace its Twin-linked Heavy Bolter with a Twin-linked Heavy Flamer for free

Felllord

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Fluff:

The Felllord was the brainchild of Rogal Dorn, who complained about the low speed and lack of additional firepower the Typhon Siege Tank suffered from, and proposed a new heavy gun carrier that would be able to more effectively support Breacher assaults. The Felllord is a modified form of the Falchion that mounts the same Dreadhammer Cannon as the Typhon with a backup array of heavy bolters and Lascannons to support it. It is well known that Peturabo was displeased by this new design and tried to have it blocked from service, which subsequently meant few examples of this vehicle had entered service by the time of the outbreak of Heresy.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for an Legiones Astartes Crusade or Space Marines army. If taken as part of a Space Marines army then it has +1 Ballistic skill, cannot take the Command Tank or Space Marine Legion Crew upgrades, may only take a Heavy Bolter, Heavy Flamer or Multi-Melta as a pintle-mounted weapon and costs 15 points more.

	BS	HP	Front Armour	Side Armour	Back Armour	Unit Type	Points Cost
Felllord	3	12	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	???

Wargear:

• Dreadhammer Cannon
• Twin-linked Heavy Bolter
• Searchlight
• Smoke Launchers
• Two Sponson Quad Lascannons

Options:

• May replace any of its sponson Quad Lascannons with Laser Destroyers for free.
• May take a Pintle Mounted Twin-linked Bolter for +5pts, Combi-Weapon for +10pts, Heavy Bolter, Havoc Launcher or Heavy Flamer for +15pts or Multi-Melta for +20pts
• May be upgraded to a Command Tank for +25pts
• May be upgraded to take Space Marine Legion Crew for +15pts
• May take up to one of each of any of the following:
  • Hunter Killer Missile for +10pts
  • Armoured Ceramite for +25pts
• May replace its Twin-linked Heavy Bolter with a Twin-linked Heavy Flamer for free

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Fellsword

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Fluff:

This design was developed by the Dark Mechanicum after the Horus Heresy. The barrel of the weapons on these contain a miniature warp rift that threatens to snuff out anyone unfortunate enough to be subjected to its gaze.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for a Chaos Space Marine or Khorne Daemonkin army.

	BS	HP	Front Armour	Side Armour	Back Armour	Unit Type	Points Cost
Fellsword	4	12	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	???

Wargear:

• Twin-linked Heavy Bolter
• Searchlight
• Smoke Launchers
• 2 Sponson Maelstorm Cannons

Name	Range	S	AP	Type
Maelstorm Cannon	Template	5	2	Heavy 1, Fleshbane, Armorbane

• Eye of the Warp

Name	Range	S	AP	Type
Eye of the Warp	Hellstorm	5	2	Primary Weapon 1, Fleshbane, Armorbane

Options:

• May take a Pintle Mounted Heavy Bolter or Heavy Flamer for 15pts or Multi-Melta for 20pts
• May take up to one of each of any of the following:
  • Dirge Caster for +5pts
  • Armoured Ceramite for +20pts
  • Warpflame Gargoyles for +5pts
  • Havoc Launcher for +12pts
  • Destroyer Blades for +15pts
  • Daemonic Possession for +30pts
• May replace its Twin-linked Heavy Bolter with a Twin-linked Heavy Flamer for free
• May upgrade its Twin-linked Heavy Bolter to have Malefic Ammunition for +15pts

Hell-

Because heaven was overrated.

Hellblade

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Fluff:

Sometimes called the "Guard Raider", for its vague similarities to the Land Raider assault transport, the Hellblade is an unusual variant of the Baneblade used as a heavy line-breaking troop-carrier. Its chassis is reversed, with the engine in the front, to provide extra protection to the operators and crew. Instead of a turret, its humpbacked hull bristles with fireports and a small Heavy Bolter turret rigged for anti-aircraft use. Though its armour has been massively increased compared to a 'stock' Baneblade, the absence of heavy weapons or shells makes its mobility largely unaffected, and if properly-maintained Hellblades can manage surprising turns of speed. What makes it truly unique is the huge 'Hellroller' anti-mine drum on its frontal hull- this massive cylinder of thrice-hardened ceramite detonates anti-vehicle mines ahead of the vehicle, and is more than capable of crushing infantry, foxholes and light field defences flat as the Hellblade rolls towards its destination. This means that it is not only capable of transporting significant numbers of soldiers in safety, but also that it can open a path for other soldiers. Significant numbers of Hellblades see use in Militarum trench regiments, especially among the Kriegers, and their somewhat top-heavy bulk is a comforting presence for any Imperial infantryman. That they carry an onboard medical bay helps too, of course.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for an Astra Militarum, Grand Convocation or Castellans of the Imperium army or as part of the Super-Heavy Support Element or 'Emperor's Fury' Super-Heavy Company formations.

	BS	HP	Front Armour	Side Armour	Back Armour	Unit Type	Points Cost
Hellblade	3	9	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	???

Wargear:

• Twin-linked Heavy Bolter
• Searchlight
• Smoke Launchers
• Two Heavy Stubbers
• Hellroller: The Hellroller adds +2 to any Thunderblitz rolls that the Hellblade makes.

Transport:

• Transport Capacity: 40 models
• Assault Vehicle
• Firing Points: 20 models can fire from the troop bay.
• Access Points: Every point on a Hellblade's hull is considered an access point.

Options:

• May take up to two sets of side sponsons, each with a twin-linked Heavy Bolter and a Lascannon for 50pts per set
  • May replace any of its sponsons twin-linked Heavy Bolters with a twin-linked Heavy Flamer for free
• May take a Pintle Mounted Storm Bolter or Heavy Stubber for 5pts
• May take a Hunter-Killer Missile for 10pts

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Helllord

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Fluff:

The sole piece of stable data recovered from an ancient Martian tech-cache in the Tharsis highlands in late M.38, the Helllord chassis differed little from the Baneblade with the exception of its gigantic turret, giving the vehicle room for much larger weapons than would be expected from its size. With demand for superheavy tanks high, as always, the Magii of Mars made do with off-the-shelf parts to complete the Helllord's design, fitting it with a pair of powerful if somewhat obsolete Ironbreaker siege howitzers and two missile launchers adapted from the Taurox design. The end result was a relatively inexpensive multipurpose superheavy tank, capable of acting in both the artillery and direct-fire role. That said, the lack of sophistication in the vehicle's systems and its great weight have made it less popular than other more unconventional Baneblade variants. Regardless, beggars can't be choosers and a budget super heavy battle tank is welcome to worlds who are not quite important enought to keep full Baneblades in PDF garrison but still need something heavier than the Macharius's more conventional heavy battle tank chassis welcomed it greatly.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for an Astra Militarum, Grand Convocation or Castellans of the Imperium army or as part of the Super-Heavy Support Element or 'Emperor's Fury' Super-Heavy Company formations.

	BS	HP	Front Armour	Side Armour	Back Armour	Unit Type	Points Cost
Doomlord	3	9	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	???

Wargear:

• Twin-linked Heavy Bolter
• Smoke Launchers
• Searchlight
• Twin-linked Turret-Mounted Taurox Missile Launcher.
• Twin-linked Ironbreaker:

Name	Range	S	AP	Type
Ironbreaker	24-180"	10	2	Primary Weapon 1, 7" Blast, Pinning, Shred, Sunder

Options:

• May take up to two sets of side sponsons, each with a twin-linked Heavy Bolter and Lascannon for 50pts per set
  • May replace two of the Lascannons on its side sponsons with Targeters (+1 BS) for free
  • May replace any of its sponsons twin-linked Heavy Bolters with a twin-linked Heavy Flamer for free
• May take a Pintle Mounted Storm Bolter or Heavy Stubber for 5pts
• May take a Hunter-Killer Missile for 10pts
• In apocalypse games the vehicle may take one of the following options:
  • Commisariat Crew for 45pts
  • Command Tank for 200pts

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Hellsword

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Fluff:

Initial attempts by the Adepta Sororitas to request an 'Ecclesiarchical Baneblade' were met with some derision by the forgemasters of Mars, but direct intervention by the Ecclesiarch led to the production of a half-dozen prototypes. The Sororitas specifcally requested an emphasis on flame weaponry, which was easily accomplished, but also a hull integrating a vast quantity of holy symbols and sacred Imperial Cult anointings, much to the irritation of the Magii charged with construction. Every single component of the Hellsword, down to each individual bolt and rivet, is consecrated by an Ecclesiarchal Cardinal, and their hulls are filled with dozens of small devotional shrines and sacred icons. The first six Hellswords were deployed to the various Orders stationed around the Eye of Terror, and almost immediately became the stuff of legend. Frequently painted with devotional images by local artists, their ornately decorated hulls were symbols of Imperial might, so holy that their mere presence on a battlefield was enough to banish lesser daemons. The titanic flames of their Inferno guns, passing through barrels deeply carved with hexagrammatic patterns, became instantly recognizable wherever the Sororitas deployed. The unquestioned success of the Hellsword made its way back to Mars, where production resumed on the series- that said, however, there are still relatively few Hellswords available in the Imperium. Few Sororitas minor orders have the resources to maintain and field more than one while major orders do not like to risk them in all but the direst battles, and new construction is slow due to the necessity of individually blessing each part.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for an Astra Militarum, Grand Convocation, Castellans of the Imperium or Sisters of Battle army or as part of the Super-Heavy Support Element or 'Emperor's Fury' Super-Heavy Company formations. If taken for a Sisters of Battle army then it is BS4, has the Shield of Faith and Adamantium Will special rules and costs 20 points more.

	BS	HP	Front Armour	Side Armour	Back Armour	Unit Type	Points Cost
Hellsword	3	9	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	???

Wargear:

• Inferno Gun
• Twin-linked Heavy Bolter
• Searchlight
• Smoke Launchers

Options:

• May take up to two sets of side sponsons, each with a twin-linked Heavy Flamer and a Lascannon for 50pts per set
• May take a Pintle Mounted Flamer/Heavy Stubber/Storm Bolter for 5pts
• May take a Hunter-Killer Missile for 10pts

Shadow-

Because why bind them in darkness when you can run them over with it.

Shadowblade

An uncloaked Shadowblade.

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Fluff:

Only a handful of Shadowblade super-heavy tanks remain in operation, with the vast majority consigned to stasis chambers on the largest Forgeworlds, where the Mechanicus labour ceaselessly to attempt to understand the arcane technologies that the Shadowblade uniquely employs. It is this very technology that forces the tech magos who study these ancient machines to keep them in stasis, for otherwise, the Shadowblades in their keeping would doubtless suffer the same fate that most have following the Great Crusade.

The main component of the Shadowblade that sets it apart from all other vehicles in the Imperium is the so-called Darklight engine, which, when activated, cloaks the tank in an inverted light field which renders it entirely invisible to the naked eye, but even more crucially, causes all known forms of targeting and detection systems to fail.

Exactly how the Darklight engine was able to achieve this was largely a mystery until Shadowblade tanks began to break down following centuries of service. Crews began to report disturbing images and sounds during Darklight operation, which slowly progressed to acute psychosis and insanity. Such was the worth of Shadowblade tanks that they continued to serve with fresh crews, despite accelerating rates of psychological trauma.

In M34.229, a Shadowblade tank "Ghostwalker" undertook a routine operation on the war-ravaged world of Galfrex where the Darklight engine was in operation for 2 minutes and 12 seconds. Instead of reappearing however, Ghostwalker was never seen again. The crew's final transmission was completely suppressed by the Commisariat for reasons of morale. In their final moments, the guardsmen on board Ghostwalker were screaming of visions of complete insanity. No trace of the tank was ever found.

It was these incidents of "Sudden Acute Material Destabilization", as the Mechanicum termed it, that gave the first clues as to how the Darklight drive operates. The belief now is that the Darklight utilizes a form of Warp technology to achieve its cloaking field. Upon activation, a thin field of Warp energy is projected around the vehicle, thus effectively removing it from the Materium. Since the tank itself does not enter the Immaterium, the crew is not exposed to the ravages of the Warp.

The reason for psychosis in crews is that as the Darklight engine ages, it loses the ability to maintain the Warp field as merely a bubble. The walls of the field begin to thicken, closing in on the real-space vacuum that is the Shadowblade. As the Warp closes in, crew experience at first mild psychosis, then insanity, and then finally, the bubble collapses completely, and the Shadowblade enters the Warp. Recovery is, of course, impossible at this point.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for an Astra Militarum, Grand Convocation or Castellans of the Imperium army or as part of the Super-Heavy Support Element or 'Emperor's Fury' Super-Heavy Company formations.

	BS	HP	Front Armour	Side Armour	Back Armour	Unit Type	Points Cost
Shadowblade	3	9	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	???

Wargear:

• Darklight Reactor: The Darklight Reactor grants the Shadowblade the Stealth and Shrouded special rules. In addition, the Homing, Interceptor, Missile Lock and Luminagen special rules do not work against the Shadowblade and sensor equipment (like Servo-Skulls, Markerlights and Auspexes) do not have any effect on the Shadowblade.
• Twin-linked Accelerator Destroyer

Name	Range	S	AP	Type
Accelerator Destroyer	100"	D	1	Primary Weapon 1

Special Rules: Infiltrate
Options:

• May take a Pintle Mounted Storm Bolter or Heavy Stubber for 5pts
• May take a Hunter-Killer Missile for 10pts
• May take Targeters (+1 BS) for 15pts

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Shadowhammer

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Fluff:

A somewhat overspecialized Baneblade hailing from the vaults of Zhao-Arkkad (Best known for producing the Praetor missile launcher), the Shadowhammer can only be described as an anti-aircraft missile vehicle. It trades off its turret and hull-mounted Demolisher for an Exorcist-Ultra vertical-launch missile launcher and a substantial internal loading bay. Though it cannot launch more than a few rockets simultaneously, its capacity to rapidly reload allows it to maintain a constant stream of ordnance against enemy aircraft- at least until it runs out of expensive-to-produce Praetor-type ammo. An externally-mounted auspex-designator system allows it to guide in allied fire against airborn targets, and it is not uncommon to see Shadowhammers accompanied by Hydra flak tanks or anti-air Manticores, where the vast quantity of munitions they can fire off can be used as accurately as possible. Unfortunately for the Shadowhammer, many Imperial commanders do not see the value of a superheavy anti-air vehicle, preferring to distribute their AA on smaller, more mobile vehicles. To this end, Shadowhammers are frequently loaded with the anti-tank and anti-infantry munitions used by the Praetor, though they suffer in this role- their targeting systems are simply not adequately designed for anti-armour use, and they struggle to attack close-in targets. Some Shadowhammers have found their way into the Sororitas arsenal, no surprise given their technical similarities to the Exorcist rocket tank, and their ornately decorated hulls compete with those of the Hellswords in opulence. Just like its fellow artillery Baneblade, the Doomlord, it is a specialist vehicle either used by the Sororitas or by the occasional guard regiment in scenarios where even regular artillery can't close in enough.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for a Sisters of Battle or Castellans of the Imperium army.

	BS	HP	Front Armour	Side Armour	Back Armour	Unit Type	Points Cost
Shadowhammer	4	9	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	???

Wargear:

• Twin-linked Heavy Bolter
• Searchlight
• Smoke Launchers
• Exorcism Missile Pod

Name	Range	S	AP	Type
Exorcism Missile Pod
Incendiary Missiles	48"	4	5	Primary Weapon 2D6, Blast, Ignores Cover
Krak Missiles	48"	8	3	Primary Weapon 2D6
Flak Missiles	48"	7	4	Primary Weapon 2D6, Skyfire

Special Rules:

• Shield of Faith
• Adamantium Will

Options:

• May take up to two sets of side sponsons, each with a twin-linked Heavy Bolter and a Lascannon for 50pts per set
  • May replace two of the Lascannons on its side sponsons with Targeters (+1 BS) for free
• May take a Pintle Mounted Storm Bolter for 5pts
• May take a Hunter-Killer Missile for 10pts

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Shadowlord

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Fluff:

Though every Baneblade variant is large and well-equipped enough to function as a command vehicle with few difficulties, a large formation of such superheavy vehicles demands a specialized tactical coordination unit, and the Shadowlord fills this niche. It replaces a conventional Baneblade's turret with a suprisingly spacious command unit, incorporating massive comms uplink units and even a compact barracks with all the conveniences a small group of officers would need to live on the front lines. Fitted with air recyclers, a sealed hull and internal refrigeration systems useful for preserving food, it can keep its crew fed and watered for months at a time without outside support. Though it is just as heavily armoured as a regular Baneblade, and it maintains the Baneblade's Demolisher so it is not wholly defenseless, its true value lies in regulating the chaotic comms traffic that always arrises when a large armoured force is in action. Naturally, the complex cogitator and data-processing systems of a Shadowlord make them a literally valuable target, in addition to being a command vehicle, and so these vehicles often maintain continuous contact with Imperial Guard artillery or orbital assets, allowing them to call in support strikes to devastating effect.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for an Astra Militarum, Grand Convocation or Castellans of the Imperium army or as part of the Super-Heavy Support Element or 'Emperor's Fury' Super-Heavy Company formations.

	BS	HP	Front Armour	Side Armour	Back Armour	Unit Type	Points Cost
Shadowlord	4	9	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	???

Wargear:

• Demolisher Cannon
• Twin-linked Heavy Bolter
• Searchlight
• Smoke Launchers
• Orbital Bombardment

Name	Range	S	AP	Type
Orbital Bombardment	Unlimited	9	1	Massive Blast, Barrage, One Use Only, Ordnance 1

Special Rules:

• Mobile Command Bunker: The Shadowlord has the Tank Orders, Voice of Command and Senior Officer special rules. Its command radius can be measured from any point on the hull and it can issue its Tank Orders to other vehicle units with the same range as its Voice of Command radius.

Options:

• May take up to two sets of side sponsons, each with a twin-linked Heavy Bolter and a Lascannon for 50pts per set
  • May replace any of its sponsons twin-linked Heavy Bolters with a twin-linked Heavy Flamer for free
• May take a Pintle Mounted Storm Bolter or Heavy Stubber for 5pts
• May take a Hunter-Killer Missile for 10pts
• In apocalypse games the vehicle MUST take one of the following options:
  • Commisariat Crew for 45pts
  • Command Tank for 200pts

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Storm-

Because Games workshop were not going to let us have all the fun.

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Alternatives

Because we’re indecisive (and won’t limit ourselves to one possible tank per name slot).

Shadowblade Titanicus

Fluff: A discount Shadowsword that trades firepower for actually being able to aim the damn thing. It uses a turreted Volcano Lance (only found on Imperial Knights officially) instead of a static Volcano Cannon, meaning it can still deliver a hearty “fuck you” to superheavies and lighter Titanic units, but you’ll still want the real deal for larger Titanic units (also you still have to be stationary to fire it). While based on the Baneblade chassis you don’t get a Demosiher Cannon as the space for that is used instead for systems needed for the Volcano Lance. As compensation though the Shadowblade has the option of taking (light) armor-killing weapons for its sponsons and pintle mount.

May be taken as a Lords of War choice for either an Astra Militarum or Adeptus Mechanicus army.

	BS	HP	Front Armor	Side Armor	Rear Armor	Unit Type	Points Cost
Shadowblade (Titanicus)	4	9	14	13	12	Super Heavy Vehicle	???

Wargear:

• Twin-linked Heavy Bolters
• Searchlight
• Smoke Launchers
• Volcano Lance

Special Rules (To be added) Options:

• May take up to two sets of side sponsons, each with a twin-linked Heavy Bolter and Lascannon for 50 pts per set
  • May replace any of its sponson twin-linked Heavy Bolters for Heavy Flamers for free
  • May replace any of its sponson Lascannons with Multimeltas for an additional 15 pts per set
• May take a Pintle Mounted Storm Bolter or Heavy Stubber for 5 pts
  • May take a Pintle Mounted Rocket Launcher instead for 10 pts
• May take a Hunter-Killer Missile for 10 pts

See Also

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Only War rules for most of these vehicles, plus a few extra.