Desolator-class Battleship

The Desolator-class Battleship is a very old design indeed, dating back to the earliest days of the Imperium, and is equipped with technology that is now lost to the Adeptus Mechanicus. At least five Desolators defected from the Imperial Navy between M31 and M34, and none now remain in Imperial Service.

In combat, the Desolator is a long-ranged fire support craft, carrying torpedoes, a long-range weapons battery turret, and equally long-ranged broadside lances. It has enough speed to keep enemy forces at arm's length while pounding them with impunity, and its torpedoes are actually quite effective at scattering any starships that get too close. However, it lacks short-ranged punch, and must be accompanied by a squadron or two of Escorts in case something does somehow manage to make it through the Desolator's fire.

Notable Desolator-class Battleships

 * Eternity of Pain - arguably the most infamous Desolator-class ship, the Eternity of Pain has destroyed countless vessels - including at least seven Imperial Battleships - since it turned to Chaos in 453.M33.
 * Torment - older than even the Eternity of Pain, the Torment was captured by pirates during the Spartan War after its engines were destroyed, causing it to drift into a minefield. Since then, the Torment has been spotted as far away as Ultima Segmentum and in the Jobe Sector on the northern rim, wreaking havok on Imperial assets.