M22A2 Leman Russ Main Battle Tank
The Leman Russ is the chief battle tank of the Imperial Guard and the one that most Guardsmen will have fought alongside. It is a rugged design and has been used to equip the Imperial Guard for many centuries. In all that time there have been many fundamental changes in construction and appearance, but the capabilities of the vehicle have changed very little. The chief reason why designs varied was not to improve the tanks, but to accommodate the use of different materials, power plants and repair facilities available to its builders.
The armored hull of the Leman Russ is designed to be tough, long-lasting and easy to repair. In the hands of the Imperial Guard, a Leman Russ might find itself deployed in places as varied as the blistering heat of an acid waste or the moist chill of a methane swamp. It must withstand all these environments as well as the shells and energy blasts of the enemy. For this reason, the tank’s armor is not the most sophisticated, but it is practical and tough; easily capable of withstanding a shot from all but the most powerful enemy weapons.
The Leman Russ’s armament can be varied considerably, but the turret mounted battle cannon is fundamental to the design. In addition, the Leman Russ generally carries a hull-mounted lascannnon. This weapon is specifically designed for tank busting, for attacking and killing enemy machines and especially large, tough creatures, such are found in tyranid swarms. Side sponson mounts are also integral to the design of the Leman Russ, which can be fitted with a variety of standard heavy weapons and are intended to provide close infantry support or to keep enemy troops at bay.
M23A Leman Russ Demolisher Infantry Combat Vehicle
The Leman Russ Demolisher is a common variant of the basic tank design and is produced in limited numbers alongside the ordinary versions of the Leman Russ. Instead of battle cannon, this tank carries the short ranged, but highly destructive Demolisher cannon, making it invaluable in street fighting and for close assault against fortifications and buildings. For this reason it is often described as a siege tank.
The Demolisher cannon is a terrifyingly destructive weapon, blasting through layers of plasteel and concrete alike in a storm of plasma and flying debris. Originally designed to destroy bunkers and similar fortifications, the Demolisher cannon was soon found to be capable of obliterating enemy vehicles with equal ease.
This deadly versatility makes the Leman Russ Demolisher siege tank an extremely valuable vehicle The Demolisher cannon fires even large and more devastating shells than a battle cannon. These huge shells are far heavier than the standard battle cannon ammunition and resemble larger versions of anti-tank rounds. They consist of an outer layer of standard high explosive and shrapnel surrounding a chemical core. When the shell strikes its target the explosive detonates, blasting a hole in the target’s armor and scattering shrapnel everywhere. At the same time, the explosion also sets off a chemical reaction that superheats the second layer. This hurls a plasma jet lancing through the hole blown in the armor and spreads flaming death and molten metal over a wide area, literally ripping the target apart from the inside.
They are the only tank in the Imperial Guard that is directly affiliated with infantry formations, rather than being assigned from an armored company, and have a reputation for never letting down their 'little brothers'. As such, they are often at the front of the battle with the guardsmen.
M22A3 Leman Russ Exterminator Infantry Combat Vehicle
Perhaps one of the oldest recorded variants of the basic Leman Russ, the Exterminator is still a common sight among Imperial Guard regiments that face massed, lightly armored infantry such as Orks or Tyranids. The Exterminator is armed with twin-linked auto-cannon and heavy bolter sponsons, making it an extremely powerful antipersonnel weapons platform that is capable of cutting down large numbers of lightly armored targets in the blink of an eye. The sheer lethality of its weapon ensures that it still sees regular service.
Sometimes the Exterminator is also utilized as a stopgap measure for anti-air defense due to its rapid firing speed.
M292 Basilisk Self-Propelled Artillery
The Basilisk is a mobile artillery platform based on the ubiquitous Chimera chassis, and which mounts the deadly Earthshaker cannon. Of all the Imperial Guard artillery, the Basilisk is the most numerous and well known. It is fully mobile, easily able to keep pace with the main infantry advance, and can be deployed ready for battle with in a matter of moments. It is most effective when deployed en masse in a barrage of many hundreds of guns6, where its primary role is to sit behind the battlefront and use its massive range to hurl shells onto enemy positions from a position of safety. However, the Earthshaker can also be used as an assault gun, depressing its barrel to fire over open sights directly at fortifications or enemy squads and vehicles that have broken through the Imperial Guard lines.
The Earthshaker fires shells of such awesome proportions that a target hit by one can literally shake itself apart. The huge shells not only cause considerable damage from the shell’s high explosives, but also send powerful percussive shockwaves through the target. Even if the vehicle’s armor is not penetrated by the shell, great shards of its inner armor are torn away, rivets and loose equipment are sent ricocheting through the target’s interior at the speed of a bullet, killing crewmen and destroying machinery and vital controls.
It can be upgraded to be allowed to fire from behind cover, blindly destroying targets before the other forces arrive, while keeping itself safe from enemy fire. The ordnance this produces is able to break through all of the enemies defenses and is feared, rightly so. It is susceptible to enemy fire if caught in the open however, and will not last long against any heavy weapons.
M290 Griffon Self-Propelled Heavy Mortar
The
Griffon armored weapons carrier is one of the most frequently employed Chimera
variants, though it is becoming rarer thanks to a quirk in its weapon mount, the
technology of which is becoming harder to source when one is damaged. It is
tailored to provide close to-medium range mobile artillery support where slower,
more cumbersome weapons might not be able to reach the front lines. Its armament
is a deadly heavy mortar designed to lob shells high over the battlefield and
onto concealed enemy targets.
The heavy mortar is simply a support version of the standard mortar used by Imperial Guard Mortar support squads. It is simple to construct and does not malfunction as often as other support weapons, but its massive size means that it can only be mounted on vehicles. However, from the solid platform on a Griffon, the crew can achieve a very high rate of fire. The main advantage of the heavy mortar is the variety of shells it can fire. These have been developed from existing shell types and take advantage of the larger caliber of the heavy mortar to make much more destructive versions. Of these shell types, two are unique to the Griffon and warrant particular mention:
Melta shells – Upon impact, a melta shell undergoes a sub-atomic reaction, which releases a blast of intense heat. The shell is capable of melting away vehicles and buildings, while living targets are instantly reduced to molten meat and bone. This shell is especially useful for attacking troops huddled together in defensive positions.
Inferno shells – This type of shell contains a small explosive charge, surrounded by a highly volatile concoction of phosphorous and synthesized compounds distilled from promethium. The explosive charge detonates on impact, spreading the compounds and phosphorous over a wide area, which then ignites on contact with the air to create a conflagration that melts through armor and clings to exposed flesh. The chemicals continue to burn and eat away flesh long after the initial explosion, leaving the victims screaming in agony; as is the fate of all enemies of the Imperium!
M572 Medusa Self-Propelled Siege Gun
The
Medusa is a self-propelled gun like the Basilisk and also built on the Chimera
chassis, but with a larger-bore and shorter-barrelled gun. Functioning as an
assault gun rather than long-range artillery, it is also commonly deployed in
sieges.
Heavy Weapons Platoon
A Heavy Weapons Platoon is where the greatest proportion of the company's most powerful weapons are gathered together. Composed of a Command squad and several Support squads, they are equipped with the heaviest man-portable weapons in the company and are invaluable in providing defense against enemy armored vehicles and large alien creatures.
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