Deimos Whirlwind

The Deimos Pattern Whirlwind Multiple Missile Launcher Tank, also known as the Deimos Pattern Whirlwind and more simply the Deimos Whirlwind is variant pattern of the Whirlwind artillery vehicle that is used by the Space Marine of the Adeptus Astartes. The Deimos Whirlwind differs from the more common Mars pattern Whirlwind in that it is based upon the Standard Template Construct (STC) Deimos Rhino Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) chassis. The Deimos Whirlwind plays the role of artillery support, providing support fire onto enemy formations from the relative safety of geographical cover, such as behind hills, forests or other line-of-sight obstructions. It is intended to be used primarily for softening up a heavily-fortified static position or other well-defended target prior to the start of a major Space Marine assault. The Deimos Whirlwind, like most vehicles based on the Deimos-pattern chassis that was commonly used during the Great Crusade is considered a relic amongst to modern day Space Marine forces, and like any vehicle from that long-lost era the Deimos Whirlwind is only ever deployed in the most direst of circumstances.

History
The Deimos Pattern Whirlwind was first used by the Legiones Astartes during the Great Crusade, where the term Whirlwind was used to describe a range of vehicle-mounted multiple missile launcher systems, many of which had just been recovered during the Great Crusade's march across the galaxy. Many of these launcher systems, such as the Scorpius Multi-Launcher were still undergoing front line trials with various units before the fires of the Horus Heresy swept across the Imperium. The Deimos Whirlwind was deployed in large numbers alongside other artillery units used by the Space Marine Legions, most notably the Legion Medusa and Legion Basilisk. The Whirlwind has the advantage over these heavier vehicles as being built upon the lighter and more mobile Deimos Rhino chassis also made the vehicle easier to repair and support. After the outbreak of the Horus Heresy and the following Great Scouring, the Deimos Whirlwind, along with the Mars Whirlwind would eventually become the main artillery units used by the newly found Space Marine Chapters.

Armament
The Deimos Whirlwind is equipped with a dorsal-mounted Whirlwind Multiple Missile Launcher that is placed on a rotating turret on the vehicle's top that is capable of firing a number of different types of missile ordinance. The Whirlwind, like all other Deimos Rhino variants, can also be outfitted with dozer blades, extra armour plating, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, improved communications equipment, a Pintle-mounted Storm Bolter, a searchlight, and smoke launchers. During the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy in the late 30th and early 31st Millennia, the Deimos Whirlwind was capable of being outfitted with weapons and technologies no longer known or used by the Imperium in the late 41st Millennium, such as twin-linked Bolters, Pintle-mounted twin-linked Bolters, and an auxiliary drive system. The Whirlwind was also able to replace its standard missiles for Hyperios air-defence missiles in order to engage enemy aircraft. During these ancient times a Whirlwind could also be used as a command vehicle for Legion artillery formations.

Ammunition
The Whirlwind Missile Launcher is capable of firing multiple types of missiles, including:


 * Vengeance Missiles - Vengeance Missiles represent the standard high-explosive missile warhead used by the Astartes.
 * Castellan Missiles - Castellan Missiles are tipped with a special warhead that can be set to explode at specific times and altitudes to scatter small, mine-like bomblets across a designated target area. Castellan Missiles can establish makeshift mine fields quickly and without exposing Imperial forces to unnecessary dangers by laying mines.
 * Incendiary Castellan Missiles - An Incendiary Castellan Missile's warhead had been further modified to scatter burning Promethium over a designated target area rather than bomblets. These horrific weapons are used to literally burn to death lightly-armoured enemy infantry and light vehicle formations.
 * Hyperios Air-Defence Missiles - The Whirlwind is capable of firing Hyperios anti-air missiles that are guided to strike enemy aircraft. The Deimos Whirlwind Hyperios uses similar missiles, although the anti-air weapons used by the Deimos Whirlwind Hyperios are much more effective at the anti-aircraft role. Whirlwinds armed with Hyperios anti-air missiles are rarely deployed on the battlefield, due to the existence of the aforementioned more effective alternatives.

Variants
The following are all known Deimos Whirlwind variants:
 * Deimos Whirlwind Hyperios - Much like the more common Mars Pattern Whirlwind, the Deimos Whirlwind could be armed with the Hyperios Multiple Missile Launcher. This variant is perhaps the rarest of any Whirlwind variant, as it requires an ancient Deimos Whirlwind to be armed with a more modern, and untrusted weapon system.


 * Deimos Whirlwind Scorpius - The Deimos Whirlwind Scorpius is a rare variant of the ancient Deimos Pattern Whirlwind that was widely used by the Space Marine Legions during the Emperor's Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy in the late 30th and early 31st Millennia. The Deimos Whirlwind Scorpius mounts a specialised anti-infantry rocket launcher, known as the Scorpius Multi-Launcher, in place of the vehicle's original Whirlwind Multiple Missile Launcher.

Canon Conflict
As of March 2017 Forge World has yet to release a Deimos Whirlwind miniature. As such the picture used for the main Deimos Whirlwind page is a fan made model using the Deimos Whirlwind Scorpius chassis and a Hyperios Multiple Missile Launcher. As the Deimos Whirlwind is featured in both

Gallery
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