Transport Aircraft/Landers in the Heresy Era

[Ryltar Thamior]

So we know from various publications that a number of the vehicles still in use in the 40k era are around in 30k [including the obvious Marine ones - but also more general Imperial craft like the Arvus Lighter [which turns up in the Solar Auxilia list iirc].]

Although we also know that the different needs and tech-base of the period means that some vehicles which haven't survived in broad application in the 41st millennium remain prominent around the time of the Heresy. 

My question to the wise heads of this forum is both which and what we can tell about other airmobile transports, beyond the Astartes ones, which are available in 30k. I.e. for more 'Human' forces [including the more 'upper echelon' sorts of ranking personnel].

I seem to remember some vague remarks about 30k Skitarii using Valkyries as transports. And there's hte aforementioned Arvus. But  what about things like the Aquila Lander, or other shuttles? And, for that matter, what do Solar Auxilia etc. use for boarding or rapid planetfall? 

Reason I ask is due to the necessity of including some of the above in our 30k narrative wargaming exercise. 

[bluntblade]

The Solar Auxiliary had the Shark gunboat. Like a stretch Caestus

[Ryltar Thamior]

Ah yes. I seem to remember those from Battlefleet Gothic back in th day 

http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss274/MadKalnod/Battlefleet%20Gothic%20-%20Imperial%20Starships/Shark-ClassAssaultBoats.jpg

Or, from more recent Fantasy Flight Games art:

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/images/8/86/Sharkassaultboat.jpg

If you don't mind me asking; what's the source on Solar Auxilia using them? 

[Majorbookworm]

Im pretty sure HH:4 mentions them using the Shark, though I don't have my copy handy, so I can't check on page numbers, sorry.

[Kizzdougs]

Another thing to remember is that during/before the Heresy, Legion vehicles were more widely available to other Imperial forces than they are in 40k. For example the Imperial Army used to have access to Landraiders, but after the devastation of the Heresy much of this equipment was requisitioned by the Legions/Chapters to replace their loses.

The same might be true for vehicles such as the Storm Bird, Thunder Hawk, and Storm Eagle

Edit: Just ignore me. I just saw that you've already covered what I mentioned... :P

[Marshal Rohr]

As an aside, I'm going to convert up this Primaris gunship/thunderhawk equivalent into something awesome for the legions. Between the plethora of marine aircraft out there now we can build up a whole range of variant craft.

[Ryltar Thamior]

wait ,,, Primaris are getting a Thunderhawk equivalent? I took a brief google, and no pictures - although I did turn up Hastings pondering whether a Primaris transport flier would square with the 'plastic thunderhawk' rumour he earlier posited, and a Lexicanum entry for the "Overlord" which mentions 'twiinned hulls' and a rather powerful armament. Definitely an interesting idea for Heresyfication! [although I'm wondering how it'd work out sizewise - presuming it's a large GW plastic kit rather than FW resin and all]

I was also looking at the 40k-era Stormwolf assault vehicle for reasons that ought be patently obvious - it occurs that it might seem more plausible as a spacecraft than an atmospheric flier, although may require alteration to its engines for this purpose [longer, bigger, chunkier], as well as the addition of some form of melta-lance weaponry [a regular dreadnoght's powerpack, perhahps] above the bow access ramp for breaching. 

One idea Umbral had was building something closer to a Shark out of Munitorum Armoured Containers and a few other bits and pieces. Definitely something to consider if I'm after a larger carrying capacity. 

Although another that he mooted was taking some of the Khadron air-ships and turning them into 'landers' of sorts. The whole open upper deck thng would potentially need to go; but the aesthetic on the main plating of the larger ships is an interesting potential inclusion for 30k . 

[also, addendum: according to the 40k Wiki, apparently a Caestus is *larger* somehow than a Shark? Odd; might just be a case of inconsistency of fluff or interpretation]