Warhammer 40K: Heavy Metal – The Astra Militarum’s Largest Vehicles
Come closer Magos, for today we look at some of the largest Astra Militaum vehicles produced by the blessed Omnissiah.
Several years back, Forge World produced reimagined models for the Adeptus Mechanicus Ordinatus, and the Hellbore. With these terrors of Mars out of the way, it’s time to look at the remaining two enormous Astra Militarum Vehicles that could one day return and one lost to the mists of time (for now).
Capitol Imperialis
A Capitol Imperialis is a tracked Super Heavy Tank often used as a mobile command base for Imperial Guard Regiments. Though heavily armored and protected by Void Shields, its sheer size and slow speeds limit the vehicle to defensive operations.
Design
At almost fifty meters tall, the rhomboid-shaped Capitol Imperialis rivals a Titan in size. Solid adamantine plating and six Void Shield generators give it a comparable level of protection. Its primary weapon is the massive Behemoth Cannon, so large that four Leman Russ Battle Tanks could fit within its barrel. The concussive force of firing the Behemoth Cannon can knock nearby troops off their feet and cause avalanches, while a single hit can kill thousands of enemy soldiers and vehicles, throwing them hundreds of meters into the air and producing a huge mushroom cloud. Secondary weapons include hundreds of Bolters for close-in defensive fire, and the hull can be electrically charged to repel boarders.
Within its massive hold, a Capitol Imperialis can carry two full companies of Imperial Guard, whether infantry or tanks. This allows the vehicle to act as a mobile bunker for troops, especially on inhospitable worlds, and the embarked soldiers can further support the Capitol Imperialis by fighting from its protective bulk.
The command bridge situated deep within a Capitol Imperialis allows its regiment’s commander the tools needed to command his troops efficiently. Vox-gear, pict-casters, logic-engines, and a holo-map, all serviced by hooded Servitors, gather, analyze and display information to allow the leadership to plan out their campaign.
Leviathan Command Vehicle
The Leviathan super-heavy assault transport is based on the same chassis as the Colossus. Built by the Squats, this awesome vehicle was supplied to the Imperial Guard as part of the mutual exchange of materials between the Squat Homeworlds and the Imperium of Man. The Imperium uses its Leviathans as gigantic army group command centers for coordinating the vast numbers of men and vehicles found in Imperial Guard regiments. The Squats employed the Leviathan as a massive troop carrier to transport special “Ironbreaker” Brotherhoods of Squat warriors into combat.
Standing over 90 meters tall, each Leviathan contains extensive communication and surveillance equipment – including satellite uplinks and tiny flying spy robots – to allow a Colonel and his command staff to coordinate an entire regiment all at once. It also has room to carry an entire infantry company into battle. Protecting the Leviathan are thick armor plating and four Titan-scale Void Shields. Its primary weapon is the massive Doomsday Cannon mounted in the prow of the vehicle. It also carries a turreted Battlecannon, Lascannons and Bolters that can provide all-around protection.
Squat Colossus – A Stunty Bonus
The Squat Colossus are vast machines the size of a city block, which act as movable mining installations. They are used to scout worlds and move from ore seam to ore seam, creating highly efficient automated mining facilities before moving on. The Squats have taken this design and replaced the mining equipment with weapons of war, producing two kinds of vehicles, the Leviathan and the Colossus. The Colossus is used as a mobile fortress bristling with weaponry and protected by thick armor plates and 6 void shields. We will have to wait and see if GW makes any reference to these as they flesh out Leagues of Votann lore.
Weapons
- Doomsday Cannon
- Thunderer Cannon
- 4 Plasma Missiles
- 8 Battle Cannons
- 16 Heavy Bolters
- It also carries an Iron Eagle Gyrocopter for reconnaissance
Rules & Forge World
Here are two earlier sets of Apocalypse rules we made for two of these way back when Apocalypse was young. While the Capitol Imperialis is GIANT (like Warlord big), and the Squats are newly reborn as Leagues of Votann, a Forge World, or even GW plastic Leviathan is totally doable by current manufacturing standards.
~ The Strongest are Strongest Alone!
I told you it was big!
