Leman Russ Tank

The Leman Russ Tank is the main battle tank of the Imperial Guard and is named after Primarch Leman Russ of the Space Wolves Space Marines. Each Leman Russ tank is armed with a large main battle cannon, a hull-mounted lascannon, heavy flamer or heavy bolter and optional sponson-mounted heavy weapons. With strong front armour, it is designed to initially bombard large formations and then assault the weakened enemy defenses, weapons firing. It is the most commonly found vehicle in the Guard, and is the base of design for many tank variants. Far from a sophisticated vehicle, the Leman Russ was designed and built with reliability and versatility in mind. It can survive the worst the galaxy can throw at it, and can run on almost any fuel. Though slow, its frontal armour is strong enough to withstand the multitude of weaponry wielded by the enemies of the Imperium. Its side and rear armour are thinner however, to reduce the strain on the engines. This does make it vulnerable to assault from these angles, requiring support infantry, other battle tanks or very careful operation to protect the vehicle. Combining all of the above is optimal. The Leman Russ is crewed by a minimum of four crewmen, one each of Commander, Gunner, Loader and Driver. Side sponsons may be added, each requiring an additional crew member. The Leman Russ is simple to operate, but very loud and uncomfortable. Due to the noise, communication is only viable by an enclosed intercom system, with the commander having access to an external vox-caster

While the information on the standard Leman Russ can be found in the sourcebooks for the Imperial Guard army, many of the game rules for the Leman Russ variants have only appeared in the Imperial Armour series of sourcebooks. Most of the variants of Leman Russ are available as part of the two Leman Russ tank sets sold by Games Workshop, but more specialised variants, alongside more exquisite types of Leman Russ, such as the Mars Alpha pattern of tank, are only available from Forge World

Capabilities
The Leman Russ seems to modern observers a crude, slow and poorly designed tank, but it is an excellent benchmark for the abilities and advanced nature of Imperial technology. Despite being famed for its simplicity and reliability, the Leman Russ is by modern (M3) standards an extremely complex and advanced battle-tank with ability several times in excess of even the most advanced modern tanks. It's frontal armour is 150mm thick, meaning it can withstand all but the most dedicated anti-tank weaponary, yet it's side armour is much thinner. With a range of 105 miles on just 360 gallons of conventional fuel (a feature the later Land Raider would have), the Russ can accept almost any sort of combustible fuel. Though its top speed is a mere 29 km/h, this is mostly because of extremely heavy governing, as a tuned tank can reach speeds in excess of 70 km/h. It is also noted for its ability to turn on a dime, its inertial dampeners and low ground pressure allowing it to throw itself around in seconds in a sort of 'signature move' for the vehicle. The Russ is equipped with a variety of high-tech scanners and auspex, plus initial dampening technology that allows the Conqueror cannon, which is known for its reduced recoil, to produce nearly a million newtons of recoil force. In addition, the Russ is commonly equipped with a hull-mounted lascannon, a triple-digit megajoule weapon which would easily destroy a modern tank.

Conqueror
One of the less common Leman Russ variants, the Conqueror is only produced in any significant quantities on Gryphonne IV, where the plans were originally discovered. Armed with the Conqueror Cannon, as opposed to the standard Battle Cannon, the Conqueror sacrifices outright destructive power in exchange for improved mobility and accuracy while firing on the move.

Conquerors come standard with co-axial mounted storm bolters and searchlights, removing the need to expose a crew member to fend off enemy infantry. The back of the turret houses an armoured ammunition access hatch, making re-arming the tank quick and easy. This hatch is also used to dispose of spent Conqueror shells.

In the 39th millennium, the munition-adepts of Gryphonne IV unveiled a new shell type for use in the Conqueror. The Auger shells were designed to increase the tanks anti-armour effectiveness without sacrificing the mobility that made the Conqueror so valued. The shell contained soft explosives in a thin outer shell, designed to spread the explosive over the surface of the armour, before a microsecond fuse detonated the explosive. This causes the armour to crack and crater, as well as cause interior armour layers to break off and injure crew members. However, the shell was considered a failure, and their production is no longer permitted.

Demolisher
One of the most common variants of the Leman Russ, the Demolisher is equipped with the Demolisher Cannon, and is designed as a short range bombardment and line-breaker tank. The extreme power of this weapon is hampered by the close distance it must be to the target to be effective. Demolishers are valued for close support by the Imperial Guard infantry, and can be equipped with the usual sponsons or Plasma Cannons and Multi Meltas to make them more effective against heavily armored units.

Destroyer Tank Hunter
The Destroyer Tank Hunter is a variant of the Leman Russ specifically for the tank destroyer role on the battlefield. Like historical tank destroyers, the Destroyer does not have a main gun mounted on a turret. Instead, its appearance is that of a typical (albeit turret-less) Leman Russ chassis with a long gun barrel protruding from the front of the tank. This gun is the long-ranged Laser Destroyer. Unlike other Imperial Guard armoured fighting vehicles, the Destroyer Tank Hunter does not have any secondary weapons.

Executioner
A variant now produced only on the Forge World of Ryza, the Executioner is armed with the Plasma Destroyer, a slightly more powerful version of the Plasma Cannon. A poorly understood and temperamental weapon, the Plasma Destroyer is often criticized for its heavy power requirements, limiting the tank's effectiveness in extended engagements.

The turret features emergency vents, heat shielding and coolant to both protect the crew and the weapon itself from damage should a containment field failure occur. However, due to bad design, the coolant feed lines run outside the turret, and are prone to damage, rendering the emergency systems less than reliable. Crews dislike being made to work in the Executioner, and are prone to bailing out at the first sign of trouble. Crews which willingly command these tanks are often seen as foolhardy, extremely brave, or insane. However, those crews who do stick to their tanks are among the best tank-killers in the Imperium, able to take out even the most heavily armoured tanks and buildings due to their powerful main gun. But, commonly when the tank takes too much damage, the plasma containment field for the main gun can short out, releasing an expanding shockwave of energy that can incinerate any infantry close to the tank.

Exterminator
This infrequently seen variant is armed with twin linked autocannons and is generally deployed in an anti-infantry role. Sometimes the Exterminator is also utilized as a stopgap measure for anti-air defense due to its rapid firing speed. The Exterminator is unique in that it is also used (in small numbers) by the Space Wolves, making it the only Leman Russ variant fielded by any Space Marine Chapter.

Thunderer Siege Tank
The Thunderer Siege Tank is another specialized variant of the Leman Russ infrequently used by the Imperial Guard. It is similar to the Destroyer Tank Hunter in that it lacks both a turret and secondary weapons and instead mounts a single, forward-facing weapon on the front of its hull. The Thunderer is armed with a single Demolisher Cannon. In the game background, the Thunderer was the result of field modifications made to Destroyer Tank Hunters that had lost their main gun in battle. The Laser Destroyer was replaced with the much more prevalent Demolisher Cannon. This changed the tank's role on the battlefield from a long-range tank destroyer to a short-ranged siege tank.

Vanquisher
A rare, more advanced variant of the standard Leman Russ, the longer-barreled Vanquisher Cannon mounted by the Leman Russ Vanquisher is capable of firing powerful anti-tank shells. In addition, a storm bolter is mounted coaxially to the main cannon. However, they are becoming increasingly rare due to the actions of the Ork Warlord Arrgard the Defiler, who scoured the Forge World Tigrus in the 35th Millennium, destroying the template for constructing the Vanquisher cannon in the process.

Since the loss, efforts have been made to reproduce the remaining Vanquisher cannons, with mixed success. The worlds of Trebor I, Gryphonne IV and Stygies VIII have enjoyed the most success, and are now capable of producing vanquisher cannons in limited quantities. Other Forge Worlds continue their efforts, though it is a slow and complex process. Of all the forge worlds only Trebor I caters exclusivly to Cadia. One of the most sought after creations from Trebor I is it's version of the Vanquisher Cannon known as the Heavy Vanquisher Cannon, which is the most powerful of all the vanquisher cannon variants. During the Dark Age of Technology, the two empires of Terra and Mars co-existed, to the mutual benefit of both. Trebor I was colonized from survivors of both Terra and Mars after they were lost during a Warp Storm. This forced both colonies to combine thier knowledge and build the most powerful of all forge worlds. Lost for centuries, Trebor I was discovered by Commissar Yarrick during The Second War for Armageddon. As a result Trebor I has sworn it's alligence only to Commissar Yarrick and to Cadia.

The three planet’s cannons are not exact copies of the original pattern. Instead, each possesses slightly different qualities. The Gryphonne cannons are longer than the Stygies equivalent, producing remarkable shell velocity to penetrate armour plate. Stygies cannons are shorter, and utilise a smaller calibre shell with no barrel rifling. However, the Stygies cannons have superior recoil absorption, allowing for superior accuracy with follow up shots. The Trebor I heavy vanquisher cannons are the longest of all three, and can easily be identified by it's longer thicker barrel with a heavy-gauge suppressor/velocity compensator that resembles the tip of a Hellhammer Cannon. The thicker barrel with heavy-gauge compensator allows for a range that is 25% farther than either of the other two types, with amazing pin point accuracy. This power and accuracy has brought many a Titan & Stompa to meet thier demise with little effort as a result of this heavy vanquisher cannon's power.

The remarkable penetrative power of the Leman Russ vanquisher means it is a highly desired tool for Imperial Commanders. Not even a Titan is safe from their mighty cannons. This fact has not escaped the Imperium’s enemies, who tend to make Vanquishers priority targets.

Eradicator
A simple, destructive vehicle, the Eradicator was instrumental in the urban conflict on Khai-Zhan. Its main weapon, the Eradicator Nova cannon, gained a fearsome reputation as a weapon capable of flattening barricades, infantry, and even light vehicles, with a highly volatile sub-atomic charge. Easily produced and maintained, it is a weapon of choice for any commander fighting in dense terrain.

Punisher
The Punisher variant of the Leman Russ is the most potent anti-infantry vehicle in the Imperial Guard, and among the best anti-infantry vehicles in the galaxy. Armed with the multi-barrel Punisher gatling cannon, the Punisher can shred even the heaviest of infantry units with punitive ease. However, the Punisher can be outmatched by enemy tanks in a head-to-head fight, and commonly works with other Leman Russ tanks to make up for the loss of anti-tank firepower.

Other Tanks
In addition to the abovementioned variants, there are several armoured vehicles in use throughout the Imperium that are based on the Leman Russ chassis, but are sufficiently different to the Battle Tank to be separately classified.


 * Atlas Armoured Recovery Vehicle - The Atlas utilizes the power and mass of the Leman Russ chassis to tow immobilized vehicles back to the rear lines for repair or salvage. Mounted with dozer blades, they can also be used for clearing paths through rubble and mines.


 * Bombard - The Bombard is a heavy mortar carrier, armed with one of the heaviest mobile siege cannons in the Imperial arsenal. They are slow to fire and reload, and require dedicated ammunition carrier vehicles to supply them with shells. As such they are typically kept well out of front line duties.


 * The Leman Russ Annihilator is a variant of the tank released as a resin kit by Forge World in 2007. This variant replaces the standard tank's Battle Cannon with a pair of Lascannons. This is similar to the identically-designated Predator Annihilator tank of the Space Marines.


 * False Baneblade Since real baneblades are in short supply, some Guard regiments have taken to modifying a Leman Russ chassis to carry extra weapons, such as sponson-mounted lascannons in addition to the Heavy bolters already in place, and cramming an extra battle-cannon into the hull.

Orks
Orks also have seen the usefulness (and amount of dakka!) within the Leman Russ and almost always grab and loot one should the chance arise. However the Orks' incompetence with ranged weaponry drastically decreases the effectiveness of the tank's guns. In the real-time strategy computer game Dawn of War the Ork player may field up to two Looted Tanks, which are near identical copy to the Imperial Leman Russ tanks. In the expansions of Dawn of War, however, the Imperial Leman Russ now fire armour-piercing shells from their battle cannons, while the looted Ork versions still fire explosive shells.