30k Vehicle/Automata Concepts - The Manufactorum

[Jareddm]

Just wanted to post to say, while looking through HH: Conquest, I found myself saying, "Oh man!  I wonder what IHF will do with these?"

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Ha - well, in terms of vehicles, I'll be using the SoH Sicaran (and probably the IW version from Extermination) to do some mock-ups for an anti-air variant (sponsoon missile launchers, turret mounted skyfire laser destroyer / special quad heavy bolter), and I'll be editing together a proper design for the Thureos transport. I'll probably also end up trying to edit together a Mastiff, and may well do an Iron Hands Falchion.

 

Also, I think I'll attemot a design for the Knight Vigilant, seeing how many knight designs are presented in Conquest.

 

With the Legionary / Dread designs, I'll probably end up using bits and pieces (some of the variant SoH plate has potential) - although I kinda wish the book contained a full MK III Iron Hand (that said, the dread will be useful).

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Just a quick update: I'm currently working on some designs based around the new vehicle images found in Conquest, the first one of which will be a profile of the Thureos, which will mark the debut of a the 3481^st Solar Auxilia Cohort (the 'Cinder Born') - with a matching rules page, both of which I'll be trying to get as close to the aesthetic of FW's HH books as possible.

As a result, I thought I'd do some obligatory mock-ups of how the transport would look, so here are the Autocannon & Heavy Bolter variants (other weapon options will be Multi-laser, Lascannon & Heavy Flamer):

Interestingly enough though, the process of creating those actually took the mock up through this stage:

Which inevitably means I'll also be doing a profile for a Heresy-era Thunderer Siege Tank pattern, which can be taken in squads including this:

The precursor to the Destroyer Tank Hunter

AUXILIA THUNDERER SUPPORT SQUADRON:

Thunderer: BS: 3 Armour: 13/12/10 HP: 3

Unit Composition:

• 1-3 Thunderer Support Tanks

Unit Type:

• Vehicle (Tank)

Wargear:

• Hull-mounted flamestorm cannon
• Searchlight
• Extra armour
• Smoke launchers
• Auxiliary drive

Special Rules:

• Support Vehicle
• Explorator Adaptation
• Outflank

Options:

• The vehicle may take any of the following:

- Armoured Ceramite

- One hunter-killer missile

- Dozer blade

• The vehicle may take one of the following pintle-mounted weapons:

- Heavy flamer

- Heavy bolter

- Multi-laser

• The Thunderer may exchange its hull-mounted flamestorm cannon for one of the following:

- Conqueror battle cannon

- Demolisher cannon

- Laser destroyer array

Support Vehicle:

A Solar Auxilia detachment may never contain more Auxilia Thunderer Support Squadrons than Auxilia Leman Russ Strike Squadrons and Auxilia Leman Russ Assault Squadrons combined.

Conqueror Battle Cannon: Range: 48" Strength: 8 AP: 3 Type: Heavy 1, Blast (3")

Edited March 20, 2015 by Iron Hands Fanatic

[Sulemain]

Hey IHF, do you mind if I take some of the vehicles from this and  the Clan Bressnar thread for a story I am writing on another site? 

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Yeah, by all means - I'm not really happy with the Land Raider variants I did on the other thread, but for any of the other stuff, be my guest

[Adeptus-Alaska]

I want to build them all.......they are amazing.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

So here's the companion page to the Thureos' rules - so yes, I'll be doing a proper rules mock-up at some point.

It may not look like I've changed all that much, but with my somewhat obscene attention to detail, this took ages:

Oh, and this isn't actually the full res version - I think the PNG file is like 15 MG - what I'll probably do when I finish the rules as well is combine the 2 sections into a single file & pop the full res version in the downloads section

Edited January 1, 2015 by Iron Hands Fanatic

[lokkorex]

Nice!

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Just posting to air some conceptual rules for a couple of upcoming Sicaran variants:

 

Sicaran Vindex (anti-air sicaran)

 

Basic version: No sponson weapons; hull Heavy Bolter; turret Erinyes Pattern Quad Heavy Bolter (Quad Heavy Bolter with blind, tracer - as long as 1 succesful hit this turn, any shots against the same unit from within 24" are twin-linked)

 

Options:

*Exchange Quad Heavy Bolter for Laser Destroyer

*Select sponson weapons:

- Oculum Targeters (gives Tank hunter USR)

- Harpy Missile Clusters (basically skyfire / interceptor cyclone krak missiles, but Heavy 3)

- 4 Kinetic Piercer Missiles (2 on each side)

 

- Turret weapons keep rapid tracking of normal Sicaran, all sponson / turret weapons are skyfire &interceptor

 

Sicaran Lanius (anti-infantry sicaran):

 

Basic version: Sponson Heavy Bolters; hull Heavy Bolter; turret twin-linked Kheres Assault Cannon

 

Options:

*Exchange Kheres Assault Cannons for twin-linked Volkite Cascade

*Exchange sponson Heavy Bolters for:

- Heavy Flamers

- Volkite Culverins

 

- Turret weapons exchange Rapid Tracking of normal Sicaran for Shred

 

Volkite Cascade:

 

Range: 30"  Strength: 6  AP: 5  Type:  Heavy 6, Deflagrate, Pinning

 

visually simial to this:

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100720105132/jamescameronsavatar/images/9/99/Hydra.jpg

 

effectively 3 long-barreled volkite calivers joined together, slightly bulked up with armoured cowling similar to that on the guns of the Leman Russ Incinerator / Knight Styrix / Fellglaive

Edited January 17, 2015 by Iron Hands Fanatic

[Olis]

Volkite Cascade:

 

Range: 30"  Strength: 6  AP: 5  Type:  Heavy 6, Deflagrate, Pinning

 

visually simial to this:

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100720105132/jamescameronsavatar/images/9/99/Hydra.jpg

 

effectively 3 long-barreled volkite calivers joined together, slightly bulked up with armoured cowling similar to that on the guns of the Leman Russ Incinerator / Knight Styrix / Fellglaive

 

It's good to see someone else come up with an idea for a volkite 'cascade' - the name fits well into the name series and I seem to recall the idea being discussed about, oh, a year ago. :D

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Hah, evidently my subconscious filed that away for later use

 

'Cascade' just seemed to fit the idea of a rapid-fire Volkite weapon so perfectly - they're chain guns, just without the spinny

 

EDIT: sneaky rules edit

 

 

SICARAN VINDEX AIR-DEFENCE TANK:

 

 

 

Sicaran Vindex:   BS: 4   Armour: 13/12/12   HP: 3

 

Unit Composition:

• 1 Sicaran Vindex

Unit Type:

• Vehicle (Tank, Fast)

Wargear:

• Searchlight
• Smoke launcher
• Turret mounted erinyes pattern quad heavy bolter
• Hull-mounted heavy bolter
• Extra armour

Special Rules:

• Vindex Adaptation

Options:

• The sicaran vindex may exchange its erinyes pattern quad heavy bolter for a:

-Laser destroyer

• The sicaran vindex may take any of the following upgrades:

-Hunter-killer missile

-Dozer blade

-Auxiliary drive

-Armoured ceramite

• The sicaran vindex may take one of the following sets of two sponson mounts:

-Oculum targeters

-Harpy missile clusters

-2 kinetic piercer missiles (total of four missiles)

 

Vindex Adaptation:

All of the sicaran vindex's weapons, with the exception of its hull mounted heavy bolter, have the Skyfire and Inteceptor special rules. Additionally, its turret mounted weapon has the Rapid Tracking rule.

 

Erinyes Pattern Quad Heavy Bolter:

Chambered for modified rounds fitted with proximity charges rather than mass-reactive fuses, the erinyes pattern saturates targets with shrapnel from multiple rounds, utilising tracer flares and high-luminosity explosive cores within its shells to 'paint' aircraft for supporting units whilst exploiting any structural weaknesses with a tempest of shot.

 

Erinyes Pattern Quad Heavy Bolter:   Range: 36"   Strength: 5   AP: 4   Type: Heavy 6, Twin-linked, Blind, Tracer

 

Tracer: if any successful hits are made with the weapon against a unit with the flyer type, any additional attacks against the target in the same turn by any unit within 24" gain the twin-linked special rule.

 

Oculum Targeters:

Featuring a suite of tracking and sensory systems, the oculum targeters enhance the sicaran vindex's capacity to assess multiple targets by mapping the surrounding airspace, allowing its weapons to accurately plot trajectories to calculate the most effective fire paths. The sicaran vindex gains the Tank Hunter special rule.

 

Harpy Missile Clusters:

Developed during the Great Crusade to provide defensive anti-aircraft capabilities to a number of Legion vehicles, harpy missiles sacrifice the guidance capabilities of the more advanced missile patterns in wider use by the Legions, instead firing in clusters to saturate aircraft in high-explosive warheads.

 

Harpy Missile Clusters:   Range: 48"   Strength: 7   AP: 3   Type: Heavy 3, Skyfire  

Edited March 14, 2015 by Iron Hands Fanatic

[Hesh Kadesh]

I was thinking about something nearer akin to a Stalker or Skyspear frontrunner for the AA variant. Equipped with a pair of Icarus Skywall Stormcannons, or an upgrade to a pair of Skywall Stormcannons.

 

Comes with an Icarus "Skywall" pattern Stormcannon

- Range 48, S7, AP4, Heavy 4 Skyfire, Rending, Independent Turret Fire

 

Can upgrade to a Pilum Missile Launcher

- Range 60, S7, AP1, Heavy 1 Skyfire, Armourbane, Savant Lock, Independent Turret Fire

 

Independent Turret Fire works just like the Fire Raptor, but both weapons become Twin-Linked if firing at the same target.

 

Savant Lock; works as per Codex Space Marines, but the improved sensors add +1 to the dice roll each turn to a maximum of 6+. However if the pilot pulls a Jink Save against Savant Lock weapon, all Savant Lock counters are lost. 

 

I like the idea of the Swarm of Missiles too.

 

For the anti-infantry one, you might as well load up the Volkites naturally - the standard Sicaran's Accerator is Heavy 6 Rending and 48" already. Unless you wish two quad mount for 2 TL'd Kheres. Deflagrate slightly upguns it - but might want to increase range - Culverin's are 45" range. Putting Kheres on the Sponsons gives it an edge over the standard. Culverins also as an option.

 

Have you considered a Blast Volkite weapon? Or turning it into a Miniature Line weapon? a Heavy 2 Haywire Deflagrate S6 AP5 weapon.

 

Something I've always kind of wanted to see is just a massive bank of Boltguns on a tank. I love the Land Raider Crusader. What about granting 2 Hurricane Bolter sponsons and 2 Hurricane Bolters to the turret, and giving it a "Fury of the Legion" type rule?

 

Turn it into an actual weapon with Salvo perhaps? Range 24, S4 AP5, Salvo 3/6 Twin-linked

 

rather than 3 TL'd Boltguns

 

With 4 of them, that's a potential 48 Boltgun shots.

 

As another suggestion - 

 

A Grav Sicaran - equipped with a Heavy 2 Graviton Cannon (where anything under both templates can only pass the Strength test on a 6, and it deals Penetrating hits on a 4+ at AP2. For Dangerous and Difficult Terrain Tests, passing through the area of both, roll twice and discard the highest. Sponsons for Graviton Guns optional. 

[malika666]

Just one remark though, aren't Autocannons normally the anti-aircraft weapons used by the Imperium? 

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

I was thinking about something nearer akin to a Stalker or Skyspear frontrunner for the AA variant. Equipped with a pair of Icarus Skywall Stormcannons, or an upgrade to a pair of Skywall Stormcannons.

 

Comes with an Icarus "Skywall" pattern Stormcannon

- Range 48, S7, AP4, Heavy 4 Skyfire, Rending, Independent Turret Fire

 

Can upgrade to a Pilum Missile Launcher

- Range 60, S7, AP1, Heavy 1 Skyfire, Armourbane, Savant Lock, Independent Turret Fire

 

Independent Turret Fire works just like the Fire Raptor, but both weapons become Twin-Linked if firing at the same target.

 

Savant Lock; works as per Codex Space Marines, but the improved sensors add +1 to the dice roll each turn to a maximum of 6+. However if the pilot pulls a Jink Save against Savant Lock weapon, all Savant Lock counters are lost. 

 

I like the idea of the Swarm of Missiles too.

 

For the anti-infantry one, you might as well load up the Volkites naturally - the standard Sicaran's Accerator is Heavy 6 Rending and 48" already. Unless you wish two quad mount for 2 TL'd Kheres. Deflagrate slightly upguns it - but might want to increase range - Culverin's are 45" range. Putting Kheres on the Sponsons gives it an edge over the standard. Culverins also as an option.

 

Have you considered a Blast Volkite weapon? Or turning it into a Miniature Line weapon? a Heavy 2 Haywire Deflagrate S6 AP5 weapon.

 

Something I've always kind of wanted to see is just a massive bank of Boltguns on a tank. I love the Land Raider Crusader. What about granting 2 Hurricane Bolter sponsons and 2 Hurricane Bolters to the turret, and giving it a "Fury of the Legion" type rule?

 

Turn it into an actual weapon with Salvo perhaps? Range 24, S4 AP5, Salvo 3/6 Twin-linked

 

rather than 3 TL'd Boltguns

 

With 4 of them, that's a potential 48 Boltgun shots.

 

As another suggestion - 

 

A Grav Sicaran - equipped with a Heavy 2 Graviton Cannon (where anything under both templates can only pass the Strength test on a 6, and it deals Penetrating hits on a 4+ at AP2. For Dangerous and Difficult Terrain Tests, passing through the area of both, roll twice and discard the highest. Sponsons for Graviton Guns optional.

 

Well, a priority with these designs is minimalism, changing relatively little about existing variants makes them more believable within the setting - sitting the primary weapon system on a slightly modified version of the existing turret is much less radical than 2 entirely new turret mounts. The same goes for the idea of Hurricane bolters - the fact is, they weren't developed until the Land Raider Crusader, waaay into the realms of 40k - there's no evidence to suggest Hurricane Bolters were around in the Heresy - plus the Sicaran's sponsons are the same as those on the Deimos Predator - the only weapons they've been seen to take are standard heavy weapons & the cyclone missile pods on the Javelin.

 

In terms of the primary armament of the Lanius, I know that the existing Accelerator Autocannons are pretty hefty, but they're primarily used in an anti-tank role - while Kheres are less powerful, they are primarily useful against infantry. This variant will probably be less expensive points wise that the normal Sicaran - it doesn't have to be an upgrade of the Standard unit. Also, I'll likely swap out the Rapid Tracking (only really useful against skimmers / flyers) for a system that targets infantry - giving the tank Preffered Enemy: Infantry, or a reduced cover save.

 

I know that culverins are longer ranged than the cascade, but the design is supposed to be akin to a kind of volkite chain weapon - 3 calivers fused together, hence the shorter range. I'm considering changing the weapon to Heavy 7 or 8 to emphasize this.

 

With the Graviton cannon idea, I'm pretty eager to not step on the toes of existing units - the Sicaran is a pretty capable tank hunter, and the Sicaran Venator is pretty well suited against super-heavies - graviton cannon would do the same job really.

 

Just one remark though, aren't Autocannons normally the anti-aircraft weapons used by the Imperium? 

 

Well, I get your point, but FW have stated there are thousands of vehicles they'll never get to cover in the books - surely not all anti-aircraft weapons of the Imperium have to be autocannons or missile launchers? I mean you've already got the Icarus Lascannon.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Its still massively a work in progress, but I thought this was too cool not to post:

Mock-up of the Sicaran Lanius (only the Kheres really)

[BassWave]

My question is why bother with a kheres? It's stats are identical to the accelerated auto cannon, aside from having -1 strength. Don't get me wrong, it looks fantastic, but fluff wise and ruleswise why would a kheres be more suited for anti infantry than the AAC?

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Rules-wise, because I'll be replacing the Rapid Tracking rule with Shred for the turret weapons - although it's not necessarily better, it's more focused at tackling infantry. I kinda see it like the relationship between the normal Leman Russ & the Exterminator - the former may be a better all-round tank, but the latter does one job pretty well.

 

Fluff-wise, the Herakles pattern Accelerator Autocannon is extremely costly to produce & it's complexity makes maintenance difficult. Against hordes, weaponry that can be more easily repaired / replaced is prioritized (due to the amount of time engagements take) & with plans for the Sicaran to adopt the role of MBT in the future, the original field - modification was approved for widespread manufacture, with the far superior Volkite Cascade version prototyped to eventually replace it.

[BassWave]

My apologies IHF, I seemed to have skipped over the posts where you explain your reasoning rules wise.

 

Fluff wise however, I thought the kheres was just as expensive to maintain? I mean, so far it's only seen on contemptors, if that's any indication.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Well, the entry for the Illiastus pattern assault cannon mentions the Kheres has been extremely successful, hence its development, and in the original description of the Kheres in Betrayal, it also notes a number of other variants were entering the service of Legions as the Heresy began, based off the Kheres pattern. Although no where is there any mention of the weapon's complexity or ease to maintain, it can be assumed that it must have been pretty user-friendly for further development in terms of miniaturization to be approved.

 

Also, the Accelerator Autocannons are specifically mentioned as being sophisticated, and I'd imagine their railgun-esque propulsion requires specialised munitions - on the other hand, the Kheres has been around longer, so Legionaries / Techmarines are more familiar with them, they seem to use standard munitions & there should be a greater supply of replacements / spare parts if they suffer damage.  

[helterskelter]

I'll take two, I'll be back in one year standard terran. Earlier completions to be made aware to my masterbof the forge via astropathic communique.

Nothing like a dedicated troop shredder

[Daemon2027]

Yeah the Sicaran Lanius would be an amazing piece of hardware.

 

For consideration, the Solar Auxilia lack a light Hellhound style vehicle, although I am not sure when the Hellhound and it variants were discovered/created.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Hmmm - the problem with Imperial Army stuff at the moment is that the Chimera chassis wasn't developed until after the heresy (hence the alternate basilisks for the Legions / Solar Auxilia), which means there's only really one viable chassis of that class, being the Leman Russ - and there's inevitably a point at which sticking different turrets on that one chassis becomes stale.

 

Inevitable FW will develop a new type of MBT hull for the IA which will blow us all out of the water (Sicaran anyone?), but until then its kinda tricky. My immediate response was to have no turret on a Leman Russ hull, but have hull & sponson flamer weapons for maximum template coverage - but of course the Solar Auxilia don't have sponsons on their Russes, because they aren't environmentally sealed  

 

I guess you've still got the badass Malcador Infernus, which can now take chem munitions

[Daemon2027]

But what about the Dracosan as a base? That is a different chasis to the Russ isnt it? Take out the transport capacity and add some Promethium tanks.

 

I get what you are saying though, untill we get a smaller chasis we wont see fast vehichles to go around burning stuff. Unless we could modify an Arvus Lighter...

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Uhhh, the Dracosan has the same chassis as the Malcador......so you're basically describing the Malcador Infernus  

[Slips]

Fellblade / Spartan Chassis?