An Achilles-Alpha Pattern Land Raider of the Imperial Fists Legion armed with an Astartes Quad Launcher and two sponson-mounted, twin-linked Volkite Culverins
The Achilles-Alpha Pattern Land Raider is one of, if not the most durable vehicle ever deployed by the Space Marine Legions during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy. These vehicles were constructed with enhanced ferromantic armour that can shrug off weapon strikes that would cripple or outright destroy most others, including titanic warmachines such as the Fellblade and are proof against even the most toxic environments. Each Achilles-Alpha is constructed under the direct supervision of a Forge World's Macro-tek Magos, and is the result of solar months of painstaking labour. Every one is so costly to produce that no Legion was able to field more than a handful at a time.
The vehicle came at such a cost in materials, time, and labour that a lesser version, the Land Raider Achilles, was eventually designed. Despite being a highly durable vehicle in its own right, the Land Raider Achilles is nothing more than a lesser copy, one that can be reproduced with the use of fewer resources, but only possessing a fraction of the original's might. During combat any Legion that possessed one of these mighty warmachines would utilise them as the spear-point of any assault, trusting Achilles-Alpha's near-impregnable armour to break any defensive position.
By the time of the Horus Heresy the Land Raider Achilles had almost completely replaced the Achilles-Alpha, yet it was still the rarest of all Land Raider variants fielded by the Legions. The few Achilles-Alpha Land Raiders that were left were jealously guarded as command vehicles for the lords of the Legions. In the late 41st Millennium it is unknown if any of these vehicles still exist, hidden deep within the Armouries of the oldest Chapters, waiting to be unleashed upon the enemy once more.
Armament
The Achilles-Alpha Land Raider is armed with with a fearsome array of weapons, all of which complement its extreme durability with extreme firepower. The vehicle replaces the standard Land Raider's hull-mounted, twin-linked Heavy Bolters with a single, hull-mounted Astartes Quad Mortar that can be loaded with Frag Shells and Shatter Shells depending on its target. The sponson Lascannons are replaced with two sets of twin-linked Volkite Culverins per sponson. The Achilles-Alpha was also able to be equipped with Extra Armour Plating, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers. The vehicle was able to carry up to six Space Marines or three Terminator Marines into combat.
Unit Composition
- 1 Legion Achilles-Alpha Land Raider (31st Millennium Only)
Wargear
A standard Legion Achilles-Alpha Land Raider is armed and equipped with:
- Astartes Quad Launcher
- Twin-linked Volkite Culverins
- Searchlight
- Smoke Launchers
- Extra Armour Plating
- Machine Spirit (Artificial Intelligence)
- Enhanced Ferromantic Rites - The hull of the Achilles-Alpha was specially constructed to resist even the most determined assault and was almost preternaturally resilient, capable of withstanding hits from Melta Weapons and even starship Lance strikes.
- Galvanic Traction Drive - The Achilles-Alpha Land Raider is capable of traversing through even the most difficult and dangerous of terrain.
The Legion Achilles-Alpha Land Raider's Astartes Quad Launcher can be outfitted with the following ammunition types:
- Frag Shells (Standard)
- Shatter Shells (Standard)
- Incendiary Shells
- Splinter Shells
- Phosphex Canister Shot (Only when the detachment of which the Achilles-Alpha is a part contains a Siege Master Consul)
Derivatives
There is one vehicle that is derived from the Achilles-Alpha design:
- Land Raider Achilles - The Land Raider Achilles is a derivative of the Achilles-Alpha Pattern Land Raider. The Land Raider Achilles is nothing more than a lesser copy, one that can be reproduced with the use of fewer resources, but only possessing a fraction of the original's might. Despite this, the Land Raider Achilles is still one of the most durable vehicles used by the Space Marines, and is still highly prized in the 41st Millennium.
Sources
- The Horus Heresy - Book Three: Extermination (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 239
- The Horus Heresy: Legiones Astartes - Age of Darkness Army List, pg. 67
- Forge World Webstore - Achilles-Alpha Land Raider
Gallery
