20
Without exception, the Battle Barge is the most ubiquitous class of ship to be found among the Space Marine Legions. They are pragmatic, brutal vessels, with one purpose behind their design: the complete subjugation of a world. As might be expected, a Battle Barge is configured for the close support of a planetary assault. Much of their hull space is given over to the launch of intra- system craft and drop pods, and observations have indicated that one of these craft can deploy three companies of space marines simultaneously. No single pattern of Battle Barge exists, however, and in addition to heavy armor and dense shielding, many Battle Barges also feature weaponry capable of destroying a planet entirely, should its complement of Astartes prove insufficient. Some Battle Barges forgo their launch capacity entirely, in favor of rank after rank of cannon batteries, lances and torpedo tubes. *In Exterminatus missions, a Battle Barge may be selected as an Exterminator without modifying its profile in any way (Battle Barges carry cyclonic torpedoes, virus bombs and other planet killing weapons) and fires its weapon on a 3+, rather than a 4+. *In Planetary Assault missions, every turn a Battle Barge spends landing troops or bombarding the planet, they score 2 assault points, instead of the usual 1. Ancient and venerable, beyond even the reckoning of the Mechanicum, the Desolator is highly valued as a fleet support vessel for its long range firepower. The Angel Eater (renamed by its traitorous captain) was a XVIIth Legion Desolator present at the grand betrayal on Istvaan V, where it accounted for the destruction of six loyalist cruisers and an uncounted number of smaller craft desperately attempting to return to their mother ships and escape the Warmaster’s trap. The Angel Eater was also recorded to have engaged in a series of running battles with the Space Wolves in both the D43 Cluster and the Ullanor system. Famous Ships of the Horus Heresy Angel Eater (Word Bearers) Imperator Eternus (Armada Imperialis) *Battleships are slow and ponderous vessels. This vessel cannot use Come To New Heading orders. *Battleships are slow and ponderous vessels. This vessel cannot use Come To New Heading orders.

Famous Ships of the Horus Heresy · complement of Astartes prove insufficient. Some Battle Barges forgo their launch capacity entirely, in favor of rank after rank of cannon batteries,

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    47

  • Download
    7

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Without exception, theBattle Barge is the mostubiquitous class of shipto be found among theSpace Marine Legions.

They are pragmatic,brutal vessels, with onepurpose behind theirdesign: the completesubjugation of a world.As might be expected, aBattle Barge isconfigured for the closesupport of a planetaryassault. Much of theirhull space is given overto the launch of intra-system craft and droppods, and observationshave indicated that oneof these craft can deploythree companies ofspace marinessimultaneously. Nosingle pattern of BattleBarge exists, however,and in addition to heavyarmor and denseshielding, many BattleBarges also featureweaponry capable ofdestroying a planetentirely, should itscomplement of Astartesprove insufficient. SomeBattle Barges forgotheir launch capacityentirely, in favor of rankafter rank of cannonbatteries, lances andtorpedo tubes.

*In Exterminatusmissions, a Battle Bargemay be selected as anExterminator withoutmodifying its profile in anyway (Battle Barges carrycyclonic torpedoes, virusbombs and other planetkilling weapons) and firesits weapon on a 3+, ratherthan a 4+.

*In Planetary Assaultmissions, every turn aBattle Barge spendslanding troops orbombarding the planet,they score 2 assault points,

instead of the usual 1.

Ancient andvenerable, beyondeven the reckoning ofthe Mechanicum, theDesolator is highlyvalued as a fleetsupport vessel for itslong range firepower.The Angel Eater(renamed by itstraitorous captain) wasa XVIIth LegionDesolator present atthe grand betrayal onIstvaan V, where itaccounted for thedestruction of sixloyalist cruisers and anuncounted number ofsmaller craftdesperately attemptingto return to theirmother ships andescape theWarmaster’s trap.The Angel Eater wasalso recorded to haveengaged in a series ofrunning battles withthe Space Wolves inboth the D43 Clusterand the Ullanorsystem.

Famous Ships ofthe Horus Heresy

Angel Eater (WordBearers)

Imperator Eternus(Armada Imperialis)

*Battleships are slow and ponderous vessels. This vesselcannot use Come To New Heading orders.

*Battleships are slow andponderous vessels. This vessel

cannot use Come To NewHeading orders.

EMPEROR BATTLESHIP....365 PTS

The Emperor-classbattleship is a vesselknown to be serving inthe fleets of Humanityfor at least threemillennia before HisGreat Crusade. It is areliable and durableclass favored by everybranch of the Crusadefrom the ArmadaImperialis to theMechanicum of Marsto the Space MarineLegions, to the RogueTraders Militant. Witha huge compliment ofvoid and atmosphericcapable craft withinher holds and asophisticated sensorsuite housed in itsprow, the Emperor isfrequently chosen asthe flagship ofExpeditionary fleets.With such versatility toits name, it is oftenchosen as the firstImperial vesselpresented to newlydiscovered worlds, asymbol of Humanityresplendent.

Famous Ships of theHorus Heresy

Signi Malari (ArmadaImperialis)

Taloned Liberty(Raven Guard)

Erewhon (Emperor’sChildren)

*Battleships are slow and ponderous vessels. This vesselcannot use Come To New Heading orders.

*The Emperor-class dispenses with the normal armored prow,instead carring a mass of sensor probes and forward turrets.

This gives it a +1 to its leadership rating.

Distinctively Imperial,with its armored prowand multiple tube plasmaengines, the Retributionis considered a mainstayof the Great Crusade.

Over fifty of the vesselsare catalogued as servingin just as manyExpeditionary fleets. TheImperial Hammer andAntelope both serve asthe flagships of theirrespective fleets. TheImperial Hammer isconsidered lucky bythose who have servedon it, and rightly so. Thevessel was one of onlythree to return from theinitial actions of thedisastrous FalshanXenocides, was repairedin an astounding eightyears, and returned toFalshan Prime a yearafter that to participate inthe final, decisive battleover the world, where itdestroyed four of thealiens’ deep spacedreadnoughts. TheAntelope famouslyhappened upon thedoomed world ofStalchion V, where itoffered an ultimatum toits people. Salvation, inreturn for service. Nowthe 446th Expeditionaryfleet is bolstered by themillions strong AntelopeRunner auxilia militia.

Famous Ships of theImperial Army

Antelope

Ozymandias

Star Tamer

*Battleships are slow and ponderous vessels. This vesselcannot use Come To New Heading orders.

“Imperial ships at war are the best negotiators.”- Imperial Army saying

RETRIBUTION BATTLESHIP....345 PTS

VICTORY BATTLESHIP................360 PTS

In internal layout, theVictory-class closelyresembles theRetribution-classbattleships.

It is possible that thisdesign similarity is theproduct of graftinglance batteries onto aRetribution template inan attempt tomanufacture a morestable replacement forthe powerful (but rareand tempermental)Apocalypse battleship.The Magi of Marssteadfastly refuseaccess to any of theirdata stacks regardingthis vessel, and so itsorigins remain unclear,even in the enlightenedage of the GreatCrusade. TheConqueror (not to beconfused with theflagship of the XIIthLegion) distinguisheditself admirably duringthe early years of theCrusade, leading thefleet that cleansedSystem Stabulo of thedeviants that pollutedSector Tempestus.

Famous Ships of theGreat Crusade

Conqueror (ArmadaImperialis)

Halifax (ArmadaImperialis)

Tribune (ImperialFists)

“I do not wish for victory. Give me annhilation.”- Perturabo, Primarch of the IVth Legion

OBERON BATTLESHIP...............335 PTS

An incredibly ancientclass of vessel, and anearly variant of theEmperor class, theOberon was rare even inthe halcyon days of theGreat Crusade.

It was designed in anattempt to create abattleship that couldtheoretically deal with allmanner of threats whiledispensing with theconstant need of otherclasses to rely onescorting vessels. Whileit sacrifices much of itspredecessor’s ordnancecapacity, it retains thefearsome firepower ofthe previous design, andadds punishing salvosfrom its additional lanceturrets. While frequentlyplaced in reserve fleetsand patrol squadrons infavor of other class ofvessels, the Oberon hasfound a home in severallegions that make use offar ranging anddecentralized tactics.Famously, the WhiteScars Oberon Mazianconducted a thirteenmonth campaign ofsabotage ahead of themain fleet, smashingaside Ork defensesbefore the bulk of theLegion purged the regionof the xenos.

Famous Ships of theGreat Crusade

Sonnandal (SpaceWolves)

Mazian (White Scars)

Polyphemus(Thousand Sons)

*Battleships are slow and ponderous vessels. This vesselcannot use Come To New Heading orders.

*The Oberon-class dispenses with the normal armored prow,instead carring a mass of sensor probes and forward turrets.

This gives it a +1 to its leadership rating.

*Battleships are slow and ponderous vessels. This vesselcannot use Come To New Heading orders.

MARS BATTLECRUISER............270 PTS

The Mars, despite beinga relatively new additionto Imperial fleets, hasquickly gained favoramong calculating andsure footed navalcommanders.

The lynchpin of many adefensive formation, theMars has proven timeand time again to be ableto pound the enemyfrom afar with its lancesand torpedo salvos.Some Mars have beendocumented to mountthe experimental NovaCannon, furthercomplimenting their longrange firepower. Duringthe Solar War, in thelater years of the Heresy,the fleets of the IronWarriors were swollenwith this class of ship.Sadly, for the sons ofPerturabo, they wouldbleed the majority of thatstrength dry in theblitzkrieg of the Solartheater.

Famous Ships of theGreat Crusade

Imperious (ArmadaImperialis)

One Mars Battlecruiser per fleet may take:

• Targeting Matrix (15pts)

APOCALYPSE BATTLESHIP........375 PTS

The Apocalypse-classbattleship is an ancientdesign believed to be aprecursor to theRetribution, milleniaago.

The superiortechnologies used toconstruct the magna-class lance turrets ofthe Apocalypse haveall but been forgotten,and so it is extremelydifficult to replaceeven the small numberof these ships that stillsail. The loss of evenone will be keenly felt.By the end of theWarmaster’s conflictand into the bloodyScouring, both sideshad lost almost all oftheir Apocalypsebattleships, with onlythose loyal to theThrone able to claimmore than half adozen. The infamous‘Witch Sisters’ of theSons of Horus werecaught at anchor andobliterated overSorkan in 043.M31.

It has been noted thatthe lance arrays arecapable of operating atmuch greater ranges,albeit at the cost ofsapping the ship’smain drives of power,leaving it sluggish inthe midst of battle.

Famous Ships of theGreat Crusade

Rock of Faith (DarkAngels)

Crown of Thunder(White Scars)

Iron Sands (BasilikonAstra)

*Battleships are slow and ponderous vessels. This vesselcannot use Come To New Heading orders.

*If this ship uses Lock On orders, it may elect to increase the range ofits lances to 60cm for that shooting phase only. However, if this is done,

the ship will suffer an immediate Thrusters Damaged critical hit.

RETALIATOR GRAND CRUISER....270 PTS

The Alpha LegionRetaliator Venom incitedthe mutiny of thegarrison fleet of MU-433against Imperial rule.

For four days, thetraitorous fleet rampagedthrough the system,before translating into thewarp to continue theirmadness elsewhere.Everywhere the flotillawent, the Venom was inits shadow, often lendingits guns to scour planetsclean of life. When thetraitors were finally rundown by a far rangingcontingent of WhiteScars, their vessels weresorely in need ofammunition, fuel andrepairs, goaded as theywere by the AlphaLegion.

The White Scars easilyovercame andannihilated the garrisonfleet. The Venom wasnowhere to be seenbefore, during, or afterthe battle.

ECLIPSE BATTLECRUISER...........215 PTS

The Eclipse-class isfrequently based onupgraded Lunar-classhulls, with the refittaking place as old,crippled cruisers cometo dock and are inneed of completeoverhaul anyway.

The weapons areupgraded and lancebatteries are addedalong a modifiedspine, giving the newship a good mediumrange punch. Althoughthe Eclipse (like manyBattlecruisers)predominantly foundits way into traitoraligned fleets (thanksto the logisticalinfluence of theWarmaster), theUltramarine EclipseTheocoles made agood account forherself in the aftermathof the Calth betrayal.In the bitter cleansingof the 500 Worlds bythe XIIIth Legion, theTheocoles, despite herdamage, smashedaside severalmarauding waves oftraitor frigates as theymade desperate runs atthe cruiser to destroy itany cost.

Famous Ships of theHorus Heresy

Theocoles(Ultramarines)

Basilisk (Salamanders)

Ikon (Sons of Horus)

*Thanks to improved thrusters, this vessel moves +5D6 when under All Ahead Full orders.

VENGEANCE GRAND CRUISER........230 PTS

Regarded as somethingof a failed experimentin ship design, theVengeance often findsitself lacking the armorof more forwardthinking Imperialdesigns, but unable tomatch the speed ofearlier classes of vessel.

A lack of dorsal orprow weapons makethe Vengeance clumsyto engage, as it mustpresent its broadsidesto the enemy in orderto obtain a firingsolution at all. Thevessel does however,sport a punishing arrayof weapons, and shallbe underestimated atthe foe’s peril. While itoften finds itselfrelegated to reservefleets and patrolmissions, theVengeancenevertheless hasproven to be stalwartand reliable, and in theAge of Darkness,many a loyalist fleethas found themselvesthankful for a numberof these massivevessels left in theirinventory.

Famous Ships of theHorus Hersy

Reaper’s Shroud (DeathGuard)

Red Talon (Iron Hands)

AVENGER GRAND CRUISER........220 PTS

A mainstay linebreaker of the ArmadaImperialis.

Bedecked in gun decksand sporting a sleekprofile, the Avengerhas always beenemployed best bybarreling headlong intoenemy formations andsavagely lashing out atevery target in range.So occupied is the foeby the Avenger in theirmidst that they areshortly outmaneuveredby the rest of theImperial fleet.

While eschewed bymany Space Marinelegions as inelegantand needlessly risky,the Avenger has foundkindred souls amongstthe fleets of the WorldEaters, Iron Handsand Death Guard. Theformer do not balkeasily from chargesthat most othersconsider ill-advised,while the latterstubbornly meet theenemy headlong,handing out a maulingtwice as what theyreceive.

Famous Ships of theHorus Hersy

Sword of the Emperor(Armada Imperialis)

Barb of Nostramo (NightLords)

Savage Reprisal (WorldEaters)

“You think you know war dirtsiders? HA! I've seen plasma roll through half a deckin the time it takes to blink and take 2,000 souls with it. I've seen a pinprickof light a million kilometers away that was the death of 180,000 men whowere bent on killing me a moment before. I've been in crush-fights wheremen were fighting each other with pikes and wrenches and bare teeth untilthey died of asphyxiation because the scrubbers were drowned in blood.I've seen a hundred men happy at mess one second and sucked screamingout of a hull breach into the void the next. You dirtsiders know war underan open sky. I know war in a metal box full of the worst deaths you canimagine. But you'll learn dirtsiders, you'll learn. Those of you that live,anyway.

- Petty Officer Borusa, to the former members of the 18thLantimar Infantry upon their reassignment to thebattleship Perdition's Honor as ship's armsmen.

EXORCIST GRAND CRUISER......230 PTS

While slowly beingphased out in favor ofthe newer Mars-class,the Exorcist-class stillfinds frequent use inlong range and farflung patrol routes,where it can operate ina largely self sufficientmanner.

It needs only two orthree escort squadrons,and the the ImperialArmy commonlyemploys them asmeans of transportingregiments and reserveelements behind thefront, or as escortvessels along moresignificant trade routes.

Many of these agingvessels were at theforefront of Traitorassaults, disgorgingmortal auxiliaries intheir billions onto loyalworlds. Once so-called“dark compliance” wasestablished, Exorcistsoften stayed behind asa means of enforcingit. Their relativeindepenance andfearsome firepowerproving more thanenough to keep cowedsystems in line. Any Exorcist grand cruiser may:

• Reduce the range of it’s batteries to 30cm, increasing the firepower to 10 (No cost)

REPULSIVE GRAND CRUISER......230 PTS

The Repulsive isfrequently used as aflagship by smallerExpeditionary fleetsand in particular useamong the BasilikonAstra of theMechanicum.

As each vessel ismodified by its magos,Repulsives that haveundergone extensiverefits are a commonsight. The vessel lendsitself well to refits asmany of its systems aremodular and can easilybe replaced withwhatever an eccentricmagos has taken aliking to. TheRepulsive thereforemakes for achallenging enemy, asits shield density,weapons range or evenspeed can varybetween instances.

Any Repulsive grand cruiser may:

• Increase the range of its dorsal lance batteries to 45cm (10pts)

“The four enemy frigates, some bastardizard deviation from Martian design, madeabsolutely no effort to escape and indeed, gave no indication that they had evenspotted us. I closed in at high speed, until at range at about five thousand. I felt thatthe moment had arrived, and gave the order to open fire at the nearest target. Atthis range, our cannons couldn’t miss. The enemy vessel shuddered and quivered asour gunners soaked it with fire. The opposition was remarkably feeble. A merespray of hard shot. It did nothing to deter us. We pushed closer, hungry for the kill.At this distance, I could see huge chunks being torn away from the enemy’s hull. Itsarmor plating was being ripped away entirely as our heavy stuff tore into its side andexploded.”

- Flag-Captain Dennett, at the pacification of theMau’Van system

HADES HEAVY CRUISER......200 PTS

There are few cruiserswithin the ImperialArmada that enjoy ashigh praise as theHades. It is greatlyvalued as a trainingvessel and as a firstclass ship of the line.Many Imperial officerscut their teeth on thedecks of a Hadescruiser.

At the battle of Phall,the VIIth Legion’sStalwart bravelydefended her strickensister ship while ithemorrhaged saviorpods and ether rafts.Placing herself abeamof the crippled Kelesai,the Stalwart fought offthree successive wavesof Iron Warriordestroyers hellbent onfinishing off theKelesai, with littleregard to her ownsafety. Upon returningto Holy Terra, Stalwarthad her guns strippedand placed in theplanet’s surface astitantic defensebatteries. There, theycontinued to vent theirfury spaceward, intothe fleet of theWarmaster.

Famous Ships of theHorus Heresy

Bone Jackal (Sons ofHorus)

Wrathful Son (DarkAngels)

Caestus(Ultramarines)

“Space is wide,and good friends are too few.”

- Excerpt from Saturnyne void-clan labor chant

STYX HEAVY CRUISER......275 PTS

A great multitude ofStyx-class hulls werelaid down in thedockyards of CypriMunda in service tothe Great Crusade.

Facing fiercecompetition fromMars, it is estimatedthat several hundredsof these vessels wereconstructed over thecourse of the Crusade,many quickly being putinto service amongthose Legions whofrequently foundthemselves at the veryedge of knownImperial space. TheWord Bearers took onseven Styx cruisers in965.M30, and threewent to the BloodAngels late in004.M31. In particular,the Horn of Gabrielwas among thebattered vessels toreturn with the legionfrom Signas Prime,although the vessel wasso badly damaged thatit had to be scuttledand set to drift at theedge of the solarsystem when the BloodAngels returned toTerra. The WordBearer Styx Hangmanis the subject of manyoaths of the SpaceWolves, as it hasescaped finaldestruction at theirhands several times.For its its part, theenmity is entirelymutual.

“We pressed in closer, within two thousand. The starboard guns came back intoaction. The crew had ejected a burning magazine into the void and brought upanother. With a flash of flame, the little frigate crumpled like a paper model. Itdisintegrated and disappeared. Our shields shimmered as the rain of metalfragments were shunted aside. The next enemy was about five thousand ahead,slightly ahead and throwing everything she had at us. The other frigates haddisappeared, with our sister ship, The Scorpion, in pursuit. We cut across theenemy’s wake, firing on her as we crossed. She was turning rapidly, panicking toget away, as I increased to full speed to overtake her, and drew up abeam at arange of about four thousand. “

- Flag-Captain Dennett, at the pacification of Mau’Van

DICTATOR CRUISER......220 PTS

Versatile as a part of alarger fleet, or operatingon its own in patrolactions, the Dictator isbuilt on the Lunar hull,replacing its lance deckswith launch bays andrepair stations.

Originally designed as astop-gap method in theearly days of the GreatCrusade, the Dictatorsoon found a placeamong the Legions, everhungry forvessels.capable of aidingin planetary assaults.They are particularlytreasured by thoselegions with proudmartial traditions such asthe World Eaters, fortheir ability to quicklydeliver warriors into thefray, be it on the groundor against enemy vessels.

Docking at Port Maw fora desperately neededrefit, the World Eaters’cruiser Invader pulledaway from its berthpacked to capacity withAstartes, all of itsordnance replaced byboarding torpedoes andits launch craftsupplanted entirely byDreadclaws andKharybdis assault craft.The innovation provedto be short lived andunpopular, as the entireLegion crew of theInvader, taken by theNails, clambered intotheir craft to board andbutcher an Ultramarinefrigate group, whichpromptly exploded dueto earlier sabotage. Thisleft the mortal skeletoncrew of the Invader to bekilled in turn when theship was counter-boardedand scuttled.

HELLFIRE HEAVY CRUISER......285 PTS

The Hellfire cruiser issuspected to be an earlyattempt by the BasilikonAstra to mount largebatteries of variousweapons onto a cruiserhull.

Initially, the vessels wereonly fitted with relativelyweak (but numerous)macro cannons and laserbatteries. But aftercareful observation andmodifications to theship’s power output,enough energy was ableto be diverted to increasethe range of the lancebatteries. Despite takingnearly two and a halfcenturies for the designto be approved, theHellfire proved to be aformidable participant inplanetary sieges andsystem blockades once itentered regular service in778.M30. Despite this,the Hellfire is still seen assomething of a mixedresult. Although theship’s huge arsenal was ofgreat use to fleetcommanders, it’sponderous speed provedto be a hindrance in fleetmaneuvers. Furthermore,three Hellfires were lostearly in the career of theclass due to overzealouscaptains taxing theirgeneratoriums to thebreaking point in theireagerness to maintainrate of fire, which left nopower left for their ships’shields. Due to itsreputation as atemperamental anddifficult to manage ship,the Hellfire finds littleuse outside the coldlyprecise fleets of theMechanicum. However,many Imperial admiralsare quick to request theirpresence when it comesto the blockadeoperations to which theyare so well suited.

*When using the All Ahead Full or Burn Retros orders, this vessel may not fireits lance batteries. The energy necessary to do so is being fed to the ravenous

engines.

“Ask any void-trooper what the hardest part of a fight is, and they’ll allanswer the same way. Waiting in the boarding craft as they fly through ahailstorm of enemy fire. Well, I may not fire a gun at the enemy, or eversee them face to face. But I fly an unarmed assault boat through hell toget the tercios on target, sometimes 3-4 times a battle, almost alwaysunder enemy fire. So be damned the Astartes breachers who say theyserve in the hardest zones, or the Solar Auxilia volkite squads that pridethemselves on being the tip of a cohort’s spear. The worst part is gettingthere, and I’ve done it more than any man I know still breathing.”

- Coxswain Senioris Norris Calley, commander of 17 BoardingSquadron, a Shark Assault Boat squadron stationed aboard theBattleship Anarchy’s Heart

LUNAR CRUISER......180 PTS

A mainstay of theExpeditionary Fleets,there are over sixhundred Lunars servingin Segmentum Solaralone, and twenty servingin the Ullanor campaign.

The uncomplicateddesign allows for thevessel to be constructedon almost any world,even those nominallyunable to muster theexpertise to build acapital ship, although themajority of Lunars arechurned out of theshipyards of Mars (theso-called Phobos patternLunar, which featuresheavy laser batteries inplace of macro cannonsbut is.otherwise identical)or Jupiter (also apropriatary design, theblunt nosed Io patternLunar). The mostdecorated Lunar of theCrusade was theSaggitarius, named inhonor of one of TheEmperor’s ownCustodians. TheSaggitarius fought in theearly years of theCrusade, where sheearned the distinction ofdelivering the death blowto an Eldar craftworldwhen she delivered apayload of the Life Eatervirus into a rent in thexenos vessel’ssuperstructure, spellingdoom for every Eldaraboard.

Famous Ships of theGret Crusade

Saggitarius (ArmadaImperialis)

Khabir (ArmadaImperialis)

Medusan Sun (IronHands)

“We were hitting her heavily,. We had the bitch cold, when the prow lasers overheated. Imade the choice to ram her, rather than risk her escape. Ringing the alarm for ‘rammingstations’, I let her draw ahead, before bearing down at top speed.

We hit about twenty yards from the main drives. The adamantium of my prow smashed intoher spine. She broke in two as if made of brittle glass. The stern tore off and slid down mystarboard side and the remainder tumbled away to port. We had bitten right through.”

- Flag-Captain Dennett, at the pacification of Mau’Van

A brute of a cruiser,built in massivenumbers for the IronWarriors legion at KarDuniash, the Crusadewas originally intendedas a fleet supportvessel. It has, however,found much morecommon use as a siegeship. Flanked on bothsides by powerfulmacro cannonbroadsides, theCrusade’s engagementsolution is shortranged, but powerful.

While uncommon inSegmentum bastionfleets, where itsmassive firepower isblunted in defensiveactions, the Crusade isa favorite amongst theExpeditionary fleets.The exception to thisrule was the ImperialFist vessel ArdentResolve, which hadbeen refit with theexperimental NovaCannon. When thefleet of the Warmasterarrived at Terra, theArdent Resolve solditself dearly, blastinghuge chunks fromtraitor vessels with theweapon beforesuicidally ramming theDeath Guardbattleship Mia DonnaMori.

Famous Ships of theHorus Heresy

Burning Brand(Salamanders)

Ship of Stone(Imperial Fists)

Northern Sword(Emperor’s Children)

CRUSADE CRUISER..........180 PTS

Any Crusade cruiser may:

• Increase the range of its weapons batteries to 45cm and reduce the firepower to 6 (Nocost)

“Gak the torpedos! All head full!”- Commodore Hyronimo Vervun, at the Battle of Rising Fel

DEVASTATION CRUISER......190 PTS

Highly valued bylegions that operatedwell when cut off fromcentral command forlong periods of time,the Devastation-classserved in hugenumbers in the Vth,XIXth and XXthlegions.

The vessel was capableof operating in longrange patrols withminimal escort. Fasterthan the similarlyequipped classes ofship produced in theSegmentum Solar, theDevastation also founduse as an escort vesselfor supply trains who’sdestinations wereconsidered critial, andtime sensitive. Whenthe Warmaster’streachery split theGalaxy, manyDevastations becamepiratical banes to bothTraitor and Loyalistshipping, as theirspeed and load outsuited them perfectlyto lighting raids. ADevastation bearingunknown heraldry, butthe ident RememberIstvaan was highlyactive in the Unlausystem, on theWarmaster’s spinwardflank, a constant thornin the Traitors’ sides,as late as the fiery warsof retribution in theopening years of M32.

Famous Ships of theGret Crusade

Terra’s Due (RavenGuard)

Lamia (Alpha Legion)

GOTHIC CRUISER......180 PTS

A familiar sightamongst theExpeditionary Fleetsand Segmentumgarrison fleets, theGothic-class can oftenbe found in thecompany of smallerescorts, or itself actingas an escort for a largervessel.

Mounting powerfullance batteries, theGothic excels atpulverizing enemyshields abeam while itsaccompanying kinattack from the bow orstern. When acting in asquadron of similarvessels, however, theGothic’s broadsidescan reduce even abattleship to spinning,lifeless debris. Duringthe Istvaan V atrocity,the Iron Warriorscruisers OlympiaAscendant, Babylonand the BloodiedSpear formed astaunch battlelineagainst the breakoutattempts of theloyalists, reaping aterrible toll on theirunsuspecting cousins.Likewise, the sametactic was used by theUltramarines duringthe Betrayal at Calth,where a pair ofGothics vented theirwrath at elements ofthe Word Bearerstrying to retreat fromthe ground war.

Famous Ships of theGret Crusade

Hungering Wolf(Space Wolves)

Illuminator (ThousandSons)

SLAUGHTER CRUISER......165 PTS

It is a source ofcontinued mystery to theadepts of theMechanicum that a shipwith the displacementand mass of theSlaughter can achievesuch high speed, evenwithout full burn on itsmain engines.

While the Scartix enginecoil is known to be at thecenter of that mystery,the device is poorlyunderstood. It is positedthat the Slaughter’sservice to the GreatCrusade is an attempt atgathering enough data tounravel the enigma, asthe vessel isundergunned comparedto classes of similar size.For the most part, therest of the ArmadaImperialis and theLegionnes Astartes donot share theMechanicum’sinfatuation with the questfor understanding, andare happy to accept theSlaughter as a peerlessoutrider cruiser withoutquestioning why it shouldbe so.

Unsurprisingly, the VthLegion makes theheaviest use of theSlaughter, and theKublah is the most highlydecorated ship of itsclass.

Famous Ships of TheHorus Heresy

Red Cull (BasilikonAstra)

Kublah (White Scars)

Viirmak (ArmadaImperialis)

*Thanks to improved thrusters, this vessel moves +5D6 when under All Ahead Full orders.

“In a void battle I only once had a fear of death. On a starship's bridge in avoidfight you're either dead or alive. Odds of anything in between, orknowing you're going from one to the other condition is next to zero. Nopoint being afraid of that! When we were boarded by the XVII aboveMau'van though... We found out afterwards it was only a squad, and Inever so much as heard a chainsword whir. But the twenty minutes ittook to put those monsters down were the most terrifying of my life. “

- Commodore Elena Kaledin, Slaughter-Class CruiserFire of Illumination

MURDER CRUISER......180 PTS

Amongst the fleets ofthe nascent Imperium,there is fiercecompetition betweentwo classes of battery-craft. The MartianCrusade-class, and thearrow prowed Murder-class cruiser. In mostcases, it comes downto an admiral’spreference for speedor firepower. For thosewho prefer the former,the Murder invariablyis the ship of choice,valued for its superiorengines and the longrange lance mountedin the prow. Likemany classes of shipthat share hull designwith the Murder, it isvalued as a raider anda skirmisher.

The sister ships RedLitany and BlackLitany of the XVIIthlegion were bothoutriders in the Istvaanatrocity and highlyactive participants inthe War for D43. TheMurder-class also seesextensive use in theSons of Horus, whereit fits well with their ‘tipof the spear’ doctrine.

Famous Ships ofThe Horus Heresy

Red Litany (WordBearers)

Lion’s Maw (DarkAngels)

To Tear Asunder(Blood Angels)

ARMIGER LIGHT CRUISER......110 PTS

Shunned by theLegions, who prefer touse their own StrikeCruisers, the Armigeris found mostfrequently in the ranksof the mortalBattlefleets andExpeditionary Fleets.

The Armiger is asupport vessel,primarily. While it hasbeen shown toperform poorly in fleetengagements (where‘proper’ carrier vesselshold more sway), it’sspeed andindependence make ithighly effective in anti-pirate and systemcontrol operations. Inthe dark epoch ofHorus’ rebellion,Armigers were seen ingreater numbers onboth sides, used toensure loyalty throughfear of retribution or tooversee the paying oftithes due.

In a doomed act ofdefiance, the penalworld of Mercy firedits single battery oflaser silos at theArmigerHoundmaster,crippling it and forcingit to disengage. Mercywas utterly obliterateddays later when theCthonian Headhunterspaid the act back withcyclonic torpedoes.

Famous Ships of TheImperial Army

Baron Ibex

Terra’s Gaze

Pax Imperialis

DAUNTLESS LIGHT CRUISER......110 PTS

Many a traitor captainhas cursed the Dauntless-class, and the loss of eachone was felt keenly by theWarmaster’s forces, asreplacing them en routeto Terra was nearimpossible.

While a light scoutingvessel by design, theDauntless is surprisinglywell armed and armoredfor this fact. A popularvessel, the Dauntlesscarries enough fuel andsupplies to remain awayfrom base for months ata time. In the battle forthe Pell system, it was theDauntless scouts Aramisand Farthaun that werethe first to detect theEmperor's Children insystem, allowing loyalistelements of the DeathGuard to bring them tobattle and repay bloodfor blood.

Famous Ships of TheHorus Heresy

Gjalla (Space Wolves)

Necrotore (DeathGuard)

Iron Wasp (BattlefleetSolar)

*Thanks to improved thrusters, this vessel moves +5D6 when under All Ahead Full orders.

Any Dauntless light cruiser may:

• Replace their lance batteries with prow 30cm Strength 6 torpedoes (No cost)

“We came up to them at 2216, so close you could see them through the bridgewindows. Suddenly they started a yaw-roll, like they were gonna hit us with afull broadside. Well, the Shipmistress wasn't one to be caught with her knickersdown by a ship-of-the-line, and she'd had the tubes loaded and armed since wepulled out of dock. Fired a full spread at them less than 100,000 klicks out.They might have got one of the torpedoes, but the rest broke 'em in half andvaporized everything aft of their prow before they realized their mistake!”

- Lt. Commander Gnauis M'butu, Second officerof the Dauntless-class light cruiserForbearance

ENDURANCE LIGHT CRUISER.......120 PTS

Produced in greatnumbers on the ForgeWorld of Voss, theEndurance is oftendeployed in support oflarger numbers ofEndeavors, layingdown heavy lance fireonce a target has beenmade vulnerable.

Like its sister class, theEndurance’s narroweddesign amidshipsmakes boarding it adangerous proposition,even when theattackers are high innumber. Such a truthwas discovered by theCult of theShimmering Veil whenthe several thousandsstrong mass fell uponthe Mechanicum vesselGamma-K-Gamma inan attempt to steal theship for their IIIrdLegion masters.Coldly, anddispassionately, thevessel’s Thallaxiarmscrew butcheredthe cult to a man,holding them in thereinforced corridor tothe bridge

Famous Ships of theHorus Heresy

Swiftness (WhiteScars)

Silver Calf (Emperor’sChildren)

*Becaue the midship corridor of the Endurance is easy to defend, this vesselgets +1 to its dice rolls when defending against boarding actions.

ENDEAVOR LIGHT CRUISER.......120PTS

Heavily armed andarmored for a lightcruiser, the Endeavoris a popular heavyescort for larger shipsof the line, especiallyGrand Cruisers whereit is capable of holdingits it's own in a pitchedbattle.

During the Ullanorcampaign, theEndeavordistinguished itselfagainst the greenskins,where its relativelyslow speed was notfound to be ahindrance. While ararity amongst theLegions (like manylight cruisers) theEndeavor is well likedby those space marineswith pugnaciousreputations and atendency to valueheavier armor and amore powerful punch.

Famous Ships of theUllanor Campaign

Sinister (Death Guard)

Aggressor (WorldEaters)

Aegus Kappo (IronHands)

*Becaue the midship corridor of the Endeavor is easy to defend, this vesselgets +1 to its dice rolls when defending against boarding actions.

SWORD FRIGATE.......35 PTS

Easily the mostcommon escort vesselto be found amongstthe fleets of humanity.A classic even in thefar gone days of theUnification Wars, fewbattleships fightwithout at least a pairof these frigates toprotect their back.

They are easilyconstructed, and easilymaintained, tested ininnumerableengagements andlauded by both mortalsailor and Astartesalike.

Famous Squadrons ofthe Horus Heresy

63-5 Patrol (63rd

Expedition Fleet)

Young Drakes(Salamanders)

4th Raukaan Attack(Iron Hands)

STRIKE CRUISER.......145 PTS

When the might of aBattle Barge proves tobe unnecessary, theSpace Marines willoften employ theirStrike Cruisers.

Versatile craft, they arefast, heavily armored,able to carry a fullcompany of astartesand deploy themwithin 20 minutes ofarrival in-system. Oftentimes, a handful ofStrike Cruisers isenough to conquer aworld, or frighten arebellious planet intocompliance. LikeBattle Barges, they donot represent a singleclass of vessel norconfiguration ofweapons. Rather, theyrepresent a widevariety of vessels usedfor largely similarpurposes. Each legionpossesses widelyvarying forms of StrikeCruiser, shaped bylong years of war andunique doctrine amongastartes.

Famous Ships of theHorus Heresy

Oblivion (Sons ofHorus)

Waning Moon (BloodAngels)

*In Planetary Assaultmissions, every turn aStrike Cruiser spendslanding troops orbombarding theplanet, they score 2assault points, insteadof the usual 1.

Any Strike Cruiser may

• Add an additional shield (15pts)

• May replace prow bombardment cannon with a S:1 R:30 lance firing L/F/R (nocost)

Any Strike Cruiser may replace it’s prow launch bay with:

• Firepower 6 torpedo tubes (no cost)

• Firepower 5 30cm front firing bombardment cannon (no cost)

COBRA DESTROYER......30 PTS

Cobra class escortsform a significantproportion of thebastion fleets ofthe CyclopsCluster. Theirversatility makesthem a favoredvessel for scouting,patroling andraiding.

The Cobra was alsofavored heavily bythose legionsparticipating in theUllanor Campaign,where the vesselsgreat speed andpowerful ordnanceenabling it to catchand destroy theslow moving, anddensely constructedork rokks. Imperialrecords indicatethat upwards ofthree hundren ofthese xenosabominations weredestroyed in the thetwelve months priorto the Triumph atUllanor.

FIRESTORM FRIGATE.........35 PTS

Built around a Swordhull, major changeswere made to thecentral laser coreconduits to power alance cannon at theprow of this design.

As maneuverable as anescort, while packingthe punch of a lightcruiser, the Firestormwas a much welcomeaddition to the GreatCrusade and wasparticularly effective atbattling the Eldar inthe Northern Rim.

Their numbers wereseverely depleted bythe time war reachedTerra, as both Traitorand Loyalist fleetsthrew them into thethick of battle,knowing they wouldexcel. It would beseveral hundred yearsbefore even a handfulof Battlefleets wouldbe able to claim fullyreinforced squadronsof Firestorms.

Famous Squadrons ofthe Horus Heresy

Patrol Group Calth(Ultramarines)

Patrol GroupArmatura(Ultramarines)

Daughters of Chemos(Emperor’s Children)

THUNDERBOLT HEAVY FRIGATE...50 PTS

The heavily armedThunderboltfrigate is actuallyonly one of manyvarieties of theThunderbolt hull.

Used by almostevery branch ofthe Imperial fleets,the Thunderboltenjoys popularitybrought on by itsversatility, despiteseemingly beinganathema to manyImperial admirals’thinking regardingescorts. In thefront line of battle,it is still just asvulnerable as anyother escort. Onthe flankshowever, it iscapable ofeverything fromdaring attack runs,to sustained patroloperations, andanti-logisticscampaigns. Thereare even reports ofthrone loyalThunderboltsdeployingExterminatus-grade weapons onworlds ahead ofthe Traitors’advance, leaving aswathe of scorchedearth before them.

FALCHION ESCORT........35 PTS

Produced byVoss as a meansof supplementinglighter escortswith heavierfirepower, theFalchion was arelatively newaddition to theArmada at theoutbreak of theHorus Heresy.

Unlike otherinnovations innaval designs,however, theFalchion did notcatch theWarmaster’s eyethe way largervessels did, andso its numberswere notrestricted to thoselegions still loyal.The irony beingthat many ofthese ships werestill denied to thelater war effort,their carcasses leftfloating in orbitaround worldslike Istvaan, Calthand Caliban.

STALWART MINEKEEPER.....60 PTS

The Stalwart-classminekeeper was astaple of Imperialbastion andblockade fleets.Seeding the void ofspace withatomantic mines intheir millions, theStalwart’s effortssaw that manyxenos infestedquarantine zonesremainedreinforced againstthe monstersbetween stars.

During the greatwars of the HorusHeresy, the loyalistsflooded nearlyevery stable warproute they wereable with spacemines, in anattempt to buyTerra time withtheir threat. Somaligned was theStalwart by Traitorfleets, that thevessels were oftenboarded rather thandestroyed, and theircrews subjected tolong, agonizingdeaths, inretaliation for losttime and material.

HAVOC DESTROYER.........40 PTS

*An orbital mine moves 10cm towards the nearest enemy ship ineach ordnance phase. If it comes into contact with the base of anenemy ship, it detonates, rolling 8D6 to hit the target vessel. If amine is hit by defensive turret fire, it rolls four dice instead of 8D6.

An older patternof destroyer, theHavoc was wellliked by theArmada Imperialisfor its ease ofmaintainence androbust firepower.

It is believed thatthe Havoc is aprecursor to theheavily armedThunderbolt, asthe two designsshare many similarsubsystems andconstructionmethods. Morelightly armoredand armed,however, theHavoc is a fastership and moresuited to theharrowing of theenemy. In theconquests of theCoronid Deeps,Havocs of the507th AttackSquadronpersaged thearrival of the Sonsof Horus cruiserIkon, as that fellvessel came toenforce so-called“DarkCompliance” onthe worlds in thatcluster.

HUNTER.....40 PTS

Commissioned fromMars by the 1stLegion, the Hunterfulfilled a muchneeded role amongthe Dark Angels atthe time: deliveringof high yieldtorpedo ordnance.

Highly distrustfuland secretive, theLegion wished notto rely on theCobras of theArmada Imperialis,and so the Hunterwas created on theirbehalf. By the thirddecade of the GreatCrusade, the Hunterhad been adoptedby fully half of thelegions, and by allbefore the fourth.The Iron Warriorsand the ImperialFists both found agreat affinity for thecraft. The Hunterfell into almostexclusively Loyalistuse by the end ofthe Horus Heresy,as the Traitor fleetshad been badlydepleted by the longmarch to Terra andthe siege itself.

ICONOCLAST........30 PTS

An ancient design,in the process ofbeing phased outin favor of themore heavilyarmed andarmored Sword-class, theIconoclast wasmostly relegatedto reserve fleetsand mothballingby the time theHeresy broke out.

Surprisingly lethalfor a ship of itssize, theIconoclast mountsan impressivearray of cannonbatteries, andquickly proveditself as a peerlessraider. Hit andrun tactics forcedcommanders onthe fringes the warto take theIconoclastseriously, and toguard their flanksand supply trainsagainst theirpredations. Daringstrafing runs fromIconoclastsquadrons badlymauled the orbitaldefenses near theagriworld TocastaIV, clearing thepath for a loneAlpha Legioncruiser tobombard theplanet with theLife Eater virus.

“Do you want to be a hero in the sky?”

- Common recruitment slogan for the Armada Imperialis

GLADIUS FRIGATE.....45 PTS

A more heavilyarmoredevolution of theaging Gladiatorclass frigate, theGladius is a staplein Legion fleets.

Although large byfrigate standards,the Gladius isconsidered smallby their Astartesmasters, seldomcarrying morethan a singletactical squad.This tends to robthe ship of thepunch of its itsmore powerfulfamily membersin assault roles,but it has provenitself admirably inmore mundaneoperations such aspatrol andblockades, whereit is a foremostship of the line.

NOVA FRIGATE........50 PTS

The Nova is a rareship among thecrusade fleets ofthe Legions.

Ostensibly, it istoo small to trulyfulfill the role of aplanetary assaultvessel so favoredby the Legions. It'sspeed and lancearmament,however, make it aformidablegunboat in its ownright, and at leastone or two Novasmay be foundamongst theraiding fleets ofmaraudinglegions, or theircastoffs.