Land Raider Proteus

The Land Raider Proteus is a rare pattern of Land Raider that was originally designed and deployed during the Dark Age of Technology and its Standard Template Construct (STC) data was rediscovered for the Imperium during an expedition deep into the Librarius Omnis on Mars by technoarchaeologist Arkhan Land early during the Emperor's Great Crusade of the late 30th Millennium. The Land Raider Proteus contains an extraordinarily sophisticated Auspex sensor suite known as an Explorator Augury Web that allows it to determine existing battlefield conditions with an uncanny degree of precision. This technology, combined with the design's great antiquity, has led many in the Adeptus Mechanicus to surmise that this pattern may be the very first Land Raider design created by Mankind during the Dark Age of Technology, intended to explore and conquer new worlds during humanity's first expansion out into the galaxy. Its exceptional sensor capabilities makes the Land Raider Proteus an excellent choice to serve as a command tank and to spearhead large armoured assaults. However, since it has a small troop transport capability, lacks an integrated forward assault ramp and possesses advanced technology that is difficult for current Forge Worlds to manufacture, the Land Raider Proteus is rarely used by the Space Marine Chapters of the 41st Millennium, yet saw extensive use by the Space Marine Legions during the Great Crusade. However, because of its antiquity, the Land Raider Proteus is considered a valuable relic of any Chapter lucky enough to have one in its Armoury. The Land Raider Proteus is also sometimes deployed by various Chaos Space Marine warbands, as the Traitor Legions possessed a number of these vehicles during the Horus Heresy and fled with them into the Eye of Terror. The Hereteks of the Dark Mechanicus work hard to keep these few machines combat-ready for their patrons. It is common for these foul Tech-adepts to replace any failing components on these ancient war machines with arcane devices of Chaotic or daemonic origin.

History
The Land Raider Proteus is believed to be the very first Land Raider design created by Mankind during the Dark Age of Technology to be used as a main battle tank. The Land Raider Proteus design was lost to humanity during the Age of Strife, yet a single copy of its Standard Template Construct (STC) designs were recovered by the technoarchaeologist Arkhan Land early during the Emperor's Great Crusade on an expedition into the Librarius Omnis on Mars. The newly rediscovered designs were named after Arkhan Land and eventually the Land Raider Proteus could be found in every one of the Space Marine Legions. The Land Raider Proteus would be used throughout the Great Crusade even after complaints that emerged concerning the vehicle's carrying capacity, lack of a forward assault ramp, and inability to carry Terminators would lead to the development of the Spartan Assault Tank, and eventually the Land Raider Phobos. Both of these vehicles would go on to replace the Land Raider Proteus almost entirely within Imperial armouries. The Land Raider Phobos design was smaller than the massive Spartan Assault Tank, yet was still able to carry Terminators and also incorporated a forward assault ramp. The Land Raider Phobos maintained most of the advanced technologies used by the Land Raider Proteus. In the late 41st Millennium, the Land Raider Proteus is largely just a memory. As a result, any Chapters that have a functioning Land Raider Proteus treat it as a treasured relic, as this pattern is no longer being constructed, and any that stil exist date back to the era of the Great Crusade or the Horus Heresy.

Armament
The Land Raider Proteus was armed with a similar load-out of weaponry to that of the Land Raider Phobos that replaced it. The vehicle is armed with two sets of sponson-mounted twin-linked Lascannons, and a hull-mounted set of twin-linked Heavy Bolters. The vehicle has also been sighted armed with sponson-mounted, twin-linked Heavy Bolters, but it is unknown if this is an officially recognised weapon load-out for the vehicle or a custom load-out. The vehicle was also always equipped with a searchlight and a pair of smoke launchers. The vehicle's hull-mounted, twin-linked Heavy Bolters could also be replaced with a set of twin-linked Heavy Flamers. It was possible for the Land Raider Proteus to be outfitted with a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a dozer blade, an auxiliary drive system, extra armour plating or ceramite armour plating. The vehicle could be upgraded with a variety of Pintle-mounted weapons, including twin-linked Combi-Bolters or other Combi-weapons, a Havoc Missile Launcher, and either a single Heavy Flamer, Heavy Bolter, or a Multi-Melta. The Land Raider Proteus was also equipped with a Machine Spirit, an artificial intelligence crafted by the Mechanicum of Mars. This Machine Spirit was advanced enough to move the tank and continue combat operations even if the crew was injured or otherwise incapacitated, increasing the durability and firepower of the Land Raider considerably. By the end of the Great Crusade, many of the Legions began removing the Explorator Augury Web system to make room for several more passengers, and many of the Land Raider Proteus tanks were upgraded to the Armoured Land Raider Proteus variant, which includes armoured cowlings for the sponson weapons, giving them a greater degree of protection.

Variants

 * Armoured Land Raider Proteus - The Armoured Land Raider Proteus is a variant of the Land Raider Proteus that featured armoured housings for the sponson weapons, greatly adding to the amount of damage the vehicle's sponson weapons can take before being rendered inoperative, but this protection came at a price: the weapon will no longer be able to turn a full 180 degrees, and will be able to turn only up to 90 degrees. The Armoured Land Raider Proteus would eventually become the most common type of Land Raider Proteus used during the Great Crusade, even surpassing the numbers of the basic design at the front line.
 * Chaos Land Raider Proteus - After the Horus Heresy, the Traitor Legions fled into the Eye of Terror, taking most of their vehicles and weapons with them. After thousands of Terran years of Warp exposure, many of the Land Raider Proteuses taken into the Eye of Terror are now warped, twisted, and tainted by the foul powers of the Warp. The Forces of Chaos still make use of Land Raider Proteuses that are blessed by Chaos Undivided in the late 41st Millennium, though these vehicles are rare and usually twisted beyond recognition. These vehicles can also feature the armoured sponsons of the Armoured Proteus variant.

Also See

 * Imperial Vehicles

Gallery
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