Venerable Dreadnought

A Venerable Dreadnought is a variant of the standard Imperial Dreadnought combat walker used by the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. Dreadnoughts are cybernetic combat walkers that house the mortal remains of a fallen Space Marine hero so that he may continue fighting for the Emperor of Mankind and his Chapter even after his body has been fatally crippled. Venerable Dreadnoughts differ from standard Imperial Dreadnoughts in that their occupants are regarded as some of the oldest and wisest Space Marines still in service to the Imperium of Man. Venerable Dreadnoughts have fought in thousands of battles over the course of many centuries or even millennia. These Dreadnoughts are the veterans of wars and battles now considered myth and legend by the younger Astartes of their Chapters. Venerable Dreadnoughts have gained vast amounts of knowledge and insight into the ways of war in the course of their long lifetimes. These ancient warriors have fought for the Emperor for so long that they have become almost impervious to damage, and can only truly be stopped by the complete and total destruction of their armoured sarcophagus. The vast amount of knowledge and experience earned by Venerable Dreadnoughts places them in high regard amongst the other warriors of their Chapter. From the lowliest Initiate to the Chapter Master, all will eventually seek out the advice of one of these Ancients.

Armament
Venerable Dreadnoughts are typically armed in much the same way as are other Dreadnoughts, with a Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon and a long-range weapons arm. The most common close-combat weapons found on Venerable Dreadnoughts are a bladed version of the Dreadnought Powerfist sometimes referred to as a Dreadnought Power Claw, and these weapons are most common on Dreadnoughts of any type that utilise the older Mark IV Dreadnought chassis. There are rarer patterns of Dreadnought Powerfists that take the shape of a four-fingered human hand, and rarer ones still that feature the use of a full five fingers. These types of Powerfists allow Dreadnoughts the use of an opposable thumb, allowing a greater degree of manual dexterity when picking up objects or enemies. Venerable Dreadnoughts can take any of the long-range weapons used by other Dreadnoughts, such as twin-linked Lascannons, Heavy Bolters, or Autocannons, along with weapons such as Plasma Cannons, Inferno Cannons, Flamestorm Cannons, Multi-Meltas, and Missile Launchers. Venerable Dreadnoughts can also be armed with weaponry that is unique to certain Chapters, such as the Psycannons, Nemesis Doomfists, and Power Halberds of the Grey Knights, the Bloodfists and Blood Talons of the Blood Angels, and the Dreadfire Fists used by some Dreadnoughts of the Salamanders Chapter. Much like all Dreadnoughts, Venerable Dreadnought close-combat weapons are usually outfitted with either in-built weaponry or weapons that are attached to the underside of the walker's chassis, which usually inclde either a Storm Bolter or a Heavy Flamer. Venerable Dreadnoughts can also be outfitted with extra armour plating, usually in the form of ostentatious icons of gold that depict the entombed warrior's tales of glorious battles and past victories. Venerable Dreadnoughts can also be equipped with both searchlights and smoke launchers and any other upgrades that may be unique to their respective Chapters.

Variants
There are several variants of the the Venerable Dreadnought, including the:
 * Chaplain Dreadnought - Chaplain Dreadnoughts are variants of the both the standard Imperial Dreadnought combat walker and its Venerable counterpart. A Chaplain Dreadnought houses the broken remains of an Adeptus Astartes Chaplain. A Chaplain is a specialist Space Marine officer who serves as one of the appointed spiritual leaders of a Space Marine Chapter. Chaplains are the warrior-priests who minister to the spiritual well-being of their fellow Battle-Brothers, instilling in them the values and beliefs of the Chapter and promoting the veneration, or in rarer cases, the actual worship of the Emperor of Mankind. When a Chaplain falls in battle and is damaged beyond repair, he may be placed in a Dreadnought, as Chaplains offer their Battle-Brothers unparalleled morale benefits and pace of mind. A Chaplain afforded the honour being interred within a Dreadnought becomes a highly respected living shrine to the glory of their Chapter. Chaplain Dreadnoughts are treated the same by their Battle-Brothers as any other Venerable Dreadnought, and since many Astartes Chaplains are some of the best warriors a Chapter has to offer they are able to provide the same amount of knowledge and insight as other Venerable Dreadnoughts.
 * Furioso Dreadnought - The original Furioso Dreadnoughts of the Blood Angels Chapter and their many Successor Chapters are all considered Venerable Dreadnoughts in their own right as many of these warriors saw combat during the Horus Heresy. While many of the Furioso Dreadnoughts found in these Chapters are much younger than those Ancients who served beside the Blood Angels Primarch Sanguinius himself, they are still considered Venerable Dreadnoughts as only the oldest and most experienced Dreadnoughts of these Chapters are armed with Furioso Pattern weapons. The only exception to this rule are those Dreadnoughts that become part of a Chapter's Death Compan. These Death Company Dreadnoughts are always armed with either Bloodfists or Blood Talons, so that they can cause as much damage as possible during combat, but also to prevent them from using long-ranged weaponry while under the influence of the Black Rage, which would make it very likely that they would assault friend as well as foe while in the throes of their madness. Furioso Librarian Dreadnoughts are also considered Venerable Dreadnoughts.

Known Venerable Dreadnoughts
The following are all known Imperial Venerable Dreadnoughts:
 * Bjorn the Fell-Handed - Bjorn the Fell-Handed of the Space Wolves Chapter is the oldest living Space Marine in the Imperium of Man at over 10,000 standard years old, Bjorn fought during both the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. Bjorn is now entombed within the armoured sarcophagus of a Mark V Dreadnought chassis. After the Hours Heresy, before Bjorn was placed into a Dreadnought, the Space Wolve's Primarch, Leman Russ, departed for the Eye of Terror along with the entire 13th Company in searchof a way to heal the Emperor of Mankind and restore his physical body from iys mortally wounded states. Leman Russ left Bjorn behind to lead the Chapter, which left him harbouring intense feelings of rejection and bitterness to this very day.
 * Daenyathos - Daenyathos of the Soul Drinkers Chapter is a Venerable Mark IV Dreadnought. Before Daenyathos was entombed within the armoured sarcophagus of a Dreadnought he was considered a Philosopher-Soldier, and he penned the Catechisms Martial, the standard text which inspired all Soul Drinkers. Unfortunately, Daenyathos would become corrupted by Chaos and eventually lead the Soul Drinkers into damnation. Daenyathos was destroyed in the late 41st Millennium by Sarpedon, the final Chapter Master and Chief Librarian of the Soul Drinkers. Sarpedon and the final two survivors of the nearly extinct Soul Drinkers Chapter ultimately disappeared into the Warp after saving the Imperial Fists massive mobile fortress-monastery Phalanx from a daemonic incursion, dragging the barely living remains of Daenyathos with them.
 * Astramael - Astramael is a Venerable Furioso Dreadnought of the Blood Angels Chapter. Astramael personally led all 41 of the Chapter's Dreadnoughts in the defence of the Chapter's homeworld of Baal during the Battle of Iron, which marked the end of the Invasion of Baal by the Ork WAAAGH! of the Big Skorcha in 789.M41.
 * Moriar the Chosen - Morleo Moriar, also known as Moriar the Chosen, is a former Captain of the Blood Angels' 4th Company. Moriar fell in combat on the fields of Clamorga, yet so great were his deeds that he was honoured by being entombed in a Furioso Dreadnought. When Moriar awoke from his slumber, he almost immediately fell to the Black Rage. However, Moriar survived the insanity brought on by the curse and now fights alongside the Blood Angels as a Death Company Dreadnought known as Moriar the Chosen.
 * Damos - Damos is a Venerable Dreadnought of the Angels Porphyr Chapter who has served for more than 3,000 standard years. Damos was the former commander of the Chapter's 9th Company, and under his command the 9th was considered a model of the Devastator doctrine. Unfortunately, during the Scouring of Hume, a surprise air attack on his position at Hill 236 caught Damos out in the open as he moved about the position's bunkers. Enemy Marauder Bombers bombarded his position for several hours. Eventually Damos' body was recovered by the Chapter after the battle but was declared shattered beyond the skill of the Chapter's Apothecaries to repair. Damos' body was placed in stasis and transferred to the Chapter's fortress-monastery where it was laid to rest in the armoured sarcophagus of a Dreadnought.
 * Orias - Orias is a former Grand Master of the secret Grey Knights Chapter. Orias fell in combat battling the Daemon Prince Herperitus. While he was being treated to by the Chapter's Chief Apothecary, the entire Chapter assembled to await his death with all ten of the Grey Knight's Brother-Captains watching over him until his soul would join with the Emperor. Orias's shattered body remained unmoving for three days and nights and it appeared as if he had died, but in the end the Grand Master simply gave a single nod of his head. The Brother-Captains debated and ultimately agreed that Orias had signalled his permission to be placed within an Aegis Dreadnought with his remaining strength. The simple nod was consent for his continued service which led to him being placed in a sarcophagus upon which the ritual of internment began.
 * Aeneas - Aeneas is a former Grand Master of the Grey Knights Space Marine Chapter. Aeneas led the Chapter for 55 standard years during the 37th Millennium, until being mortally wounded in combat against Ahriman the Arch-Sorcerer.
 * Sybra - Sybra was a former Venerable Dreadnought in service to the Exorcists Chapter. Sybra heroically sacrificed himself during the Aschen War in order to weaken the Daemon Prince known as the Horned God enough for the Chapter Librarian Malachite to banish the creature back to the Warp.
 * Bannus - Bannus was a high-ranking member of the Iron Hands Chapter. Having since become entombed in the armoured chassis of a Venerable Dreadnought, he has become a Clan Leader of Clan Kaargul and has a place on the Chapter's Clan Council.
 * Nalr - Nalr is a Chaplain Dreadnought of the Red Scorpions Chapter, who fought alongside his Chapter during the Siege of Vraks.
 * Pawel - Pawel is a Mark IV Venerable Dreadnought of the Red Scorpions Chapter who fought alongside his Chapter during the Siege of Vraks.
 * Davian Thule - Davian Thule is the former Captain of the Blood Ravens' 4th Company. Thule was mortally wounded while fighting against the Tyranids on the planet of Typhon Primaris and placed in the armoured sarcophagus of a Dreadnought. He would later be lauded as a Venerable Dreadnought for his service to his Chapter.
 * Kleitor - Kleitor was the former Captain of the Astral Claws' 5th Company prior to his internment into a Mark IV Dreadnought chassis. It is unknown if Kleitor survived the Badab War, when his Chapter turned against the Imperium.
 * Kraai - Kraai is a Venerable Dreadnought of the Raven Guard Chapter, who has served his brethren for over 4,000 standard years.
 * Titus - Titus was a Venerable Chaplain Dreadnought of the Howling Griffons Chapter. Titus fought alongside his Chapter during the Badab War where he was destroyed by the forces of the Executioners Chapter. The Howling Griffons found that the Executioners had honoured the Venerable Chaplain Dreadnought's sacrifice by laying the wreck of his sarcophagus in a ring of broken weapons, and placing one of their own shattered standards in the warmachine's lifeless grasp.
 * Sokhar Bray'Arth Ashmantle - Sokhar Bray'Arth Ashmantle, also known as simply Bray'Arth Ashmantle, is a Venerable Ironclad Dreadnought of the Salamanders Chapter. Sokhar is the current occupant of the Iron Dragon Ironclad Dreadnought chassis, which is believed by the Salamanders to be the very first Ironclad Dreadnought chassis ever constructed, and that it was made by their Primarch Vulkan himself.
 * Secarssa - Secarssa, also known as the Bow of Ma'dan was a Venerable Hellfire Dreadnought of the Mantis Warriors Chapter who was destroyed in combat during the Siege of Endymon Prime at the time of the Badab War.
 * Barkus - Barkus was a Venerable Dreadnought of the Ultramarines Space Marine Chapter. Barkus sacrificed himself during the Ork invasion of Espandor in the late 41st Millennium so that the rest of the Ultramarines forces could safely retreat.
 * Enosh - Enosh is a Venerable Dreadnought of the Blood Angels Chapter. It is known that Enosh is part of the Chapter's Death Company as a Death Company Dreadnought.
 * Rzasa - Rzasa is a Venerable Dreadnought of the Red Scorpions Chapter.
 * Laskho - Laskho is a Venerable Dreadnought of the Executioners Chapter.
 * Targas - Targas is a Venerable Dreadnought of the Executioners Chapter.
 * Ephesios - Ephesios is a Venerable Dreadnought of the Minotaurs Chapter.
 * Aega - Aega is a Venerable Dreadnought of the Ultramarines Chapter.

Also See

 * Imperial Vehicles

Gallery
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