Manticore Platform

The Manticore Platform is an Imperial weapons platform that is used by the Imperial Guard for anti-air defence and as a siege weapon. The Manticore Platform is equipped with a rotating turret armed with either four Manticore Missiles or Storm Eagle Rockets for siege operations or four heat-seeking Sky Eagle Rockets for anti-air defence. When armed for air defence the Manticore Platform is usually used by the Imperial Guard as a static weapons emplacement, usually placed in close proximity to Imperial artillery formations in order to protect them from enemy aircraft but they are also placed next to important static targets, such as bridges, command posts and airfields. When the Manticore Platform is used for siege warfare the platform is placed on the besieging attacker's forward positions where it can unleash powerful long-range volleys of ordinance against a target with great speed. A battery of Manticore Platforms can capable of saturating fire zones, collapsing Void Shields, and shattering armoured structures. The Manticore Platform, much like the Earthshaker Cannon and Hydra Flak Platforms makes use of the common Phaeton pattern Imperial weapons platform that is comprised of four stabiliser legs. These legs can fold up and motorised tracks can be attached so the platform, and its mounted weapon, can be towed into place. These platforms are usually towed by larger Imperial support vehicles such as Trojans, as smaller support vehicles, such as the Centaur, are not powerful enough to tow the weight of the platform and its weapon. Each Manticore Platform is crewed by several specially trained Imperial Guard soldiers, usually a commander, a gunner, and several loaders. The crew will ride in the Trojan assigned to their platform when it is moved. Manticore Platforms must also be continuously tended to by a group of the artillery battery's attendant Tech-priests to ensure the Machine Spirit of the platform's temperamental weapons system is never offended, which can lead to its weapons veering off-target, failing to detonate, or even detonating before being fired. Manticore Platforms are usually deployed to the field in groups consisting of three platforms, their crews, and three Trojan utility vehicles to tow them. The reloading process of the Manticore Platform is a time consuming process that involves many attendant Tech-priests and other specilised equipment, as such after the platform fires its volley of missiles or rockets it must be protected while the reloading process takes place. It is unrecorded in Imperial records how the platform's new missiles and rockets are delivered to the field, although it more than likely involves one of the many types of unnamed Imperial heavy truck and trailer supply vehicles.

Armament
The Manticore Platform is usually armed with four Manticore Missiles, these missiles are guided solid-fuel rockets that capable of speeds of up to 300 metres per second once airborne. The standard Manticore Missile is armed with a high-explosive warhead capable of causing tremendous damage to enemy armoured vehicles and structures, although it is also capable of being outfitted with oxy-phospor incendiary warheads, making it a devastating anti-infantry weapon. The Manticore Platform can also be armed with heat-seeking Sky Eagle Rockets, this allows Manticore Platforms to be used as an effective anti-air platform in place of the more common Hydra Flak Platform The platform can also be armed with heat-seeking Storm Eagle Rockets, which are similar to the Manticore Missiles but lack the guidance systems, these rockets can be fired into enemy positions and formations where the heat-seeking warhead will be drawn to important enemy structures containing heat producing equipment such as power generators, communications equipment, and enemy vehicle engines. The Manticore Platform has no other weapons, although the platform's crew are all armed with Laspistols and Lasguns to defend themselves, and the platform, from enemy ground attack. The platform can be covered in camouflage netting to better conceal it from the enemy.

Also See

 * Imperial Vehicles
 * Manticore

Gallery
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