Sicaran Punisher Assault Tank

The Sicaran Punisher Assault Tank, or simply Sicaran Punisher is a variant of the standard Sicaran Battle Tank. The Sicaran Battle Tank was an Imperial main battle tank and one of the most advanced armoured vehicles used by the Space Marine Legions during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy in the late 30th and early 31st Millennia. The Sicaran Punisher variant came to be used by the Space Marine Legions during the final days of the Great Crusade, along with several other Sicaran variants. The Punisher variant of the Sicaran is an anti-infantry focused assault tank, replacing the standard Sicaran's twin-linked set of the highly sophisticated Herakles Pattern Accelerator Autocannons with a massive Punisher Rotary Cannon. Originally found mounted on the now rare Cerberus-pattern main battle tanks once used by the Imperium, the Punisher had an established reputation as a deadly tool that excelled in the eradication of massed infantry or hordes of swarming xenos creatures, limited only by its relatively short range and an appetite for munitions. Married to the Sicaran chassis, the impressive speed of that vehicle effectively negated the short range of the weapon, and the complex feed assemblies developed as part of the various Terran developed Accelerator Cannon weapons ensured the Punisher saw widespread use among the Legions, though eventually it was employed against the very warriors it was intended to protect.

The Sicaran Punisher, like the base Siacran and its myriad variants are now a long forgotten part of the Imperium's distant past. These vehicles are only found now deep within the relic chambers of those few Adeptus Astartes Chapters that are lucky enough to have them at all. The Machine Spirit slumbers fitfully in their relic chambers and when awoken appears haunted by the dire events of the Horus Heresy. The Sicaran is possessed some of the most advanced and therefore ill-understood machine systems, and it is the subject of deep-rooted awe and superstition, even amongst the most venerable Masters of the Forge. Even when held in stasis, the Sicaran must be ministered to constantly by its overseers, never less than a score of servo-lectors combining their efforts to ensure the machine's continued rest, as should the Sicaran awake before being called, its Machine Spirit is prone to behave in an unpredictable manner.

Armament
The Sicaran Punisher is an anti-massed infantry assault tank, replacing the standard Sicaran Battle Tank's twin-linked set of the highly sophisticated Herakles Pattern Accelerator Autocannons with a massive Punisher Rotary Cannon. The Rotary Cannon does not directly replace the base Sicaran's weapon system, instead the tank's entire turret is replaced with the domed-style commonly found on other Astartes vehicles such as the Deimos Predator and Fellblade. The Punisher Rotary Cannon is mounted to the side of the turret dome, with its complex feeding mechanisms and gyro-assisted recoil compensators taking up the remainder of the turret. The Sicaran Punisher is also armed with a hull-mounted Heavy Bolter and two sponson-mounted weapons, which can be either Heavy Bolters or Lascannons. The vehicle can also be outfitted with a Pintle-mounted Weapon, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, Extra Armour Plating, a Dozer Blade, an Auxiliary Drive System, Armoured Ceramite Plating, a Searchlight, or Smoke Launchers.

Unit Composition

 * 1 Relic Sicaran Punisher Assault Tank (41st Millennium Only)
 * 1 Legion Sicaran Punisher Assault Tank (31st Millennium Only)

Wargear
A Relic Sicaran Punisher is armed and equipped with:
 * Punisher Rotary Cannon
 * Heavy Bolter
 * Smoke Launchers

A Relic Sicaran Punisher may take one of the following pintle-mounted weapons:
 * Storm Bolter

Relic Sicaran Punishers may also have a variety of vehicle equipment such as:
 * Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher

Horus Heresy Wargear
During the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy the Sicaran Punisher Tanks of the Legiones Astartes featured different loadout options than those still found during the 41st Millennium.

A standard Legion Sicaran Punisher is armed and equipped with:
 * Punisher Rotary Cannon
 * Heavy Bolter
 * Searchlight
 * Smoke Launchers
 * Extra Armour Plating

A Legion Sicaran Punisher may take one of the following pintle-mounted weapons:
 * Twin-linked Bolter
 * Combi-Weapon
 * Heavy Bolter
 * Heavy Flamer
 * Multi-Melta
 * Havoc Missile Launcher

Legion Sicaran Punishers may also have a variety of vehicle equipment such as:
 * Dozer Blade
 * Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher
 * Armoured Ceramite Plating
 * Auxiliary Drive System

Gallery
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