An Ares Gunship of the Legio Custodes
The Ares Gunship, also called simply the Ares, was a type of anti-gravitic Imperial aircraft used by the Legio Custodes during the Unification Wars, the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy. It developed a fearsome reputation at that time as a potent fire support weapon for Custodian infantry forces known to strike terror in those who faced it.
It is unknown if the Orion is still in use by the Adeptus Custodes of the 41st Millennium.
Role[]
An Ares Gunship was considered a potent ground support aircraft for Custodian infantry forces.
During the Unification Wars, the Legio Custodes would amass in their fledgling battle ranks to fight by the Emperor's side, and though they were few, they were equipped with the finest weaponry and vehicles available to the fledgling Imperium. One such vehicle was the Ares Gunship, and it earned a fearsome reputation vanquishing the Emperor's enemies on Old Earth and hundreds of other worlds across the galaxy since.
The Ares was frequently used as a terror weapon, bypassing enemy armies as it blazed over their lines concealed in the shadow produced by its photon-absorbing Eclipse Shields. Primarily, it was used to strike a decisive blow with its immensely destructive Arachnus Magna-Blaze Cannon against the monuments and edifices which an enemy culture held most dear to their hearts.
Such was the infamy it earned in the Unification Wars that when the forces of Unification were embroiled in a solar-month-long standstill on the Antipodean Peninsula on Terra, the mere sight of a single Ares Gunship hovering above the domicile of that regime's chancellor led to the enemy's unconditional surrender to the Emperor.
Unit Composition[]
- 1 Ares Gunship
Wargear[]
- 2 Arachnus Blaze Cannons (Centreline mounts)
- Arachnus Magna-Blaze Cannon (Centreline mount)
- 2 Infernus Firebomb Clusters (Ventral hull mount)
Sources[]
- Warhammer: The Horus Heresy Second Edition - Liber Imperium (Specialty Game), pg. 36
- The Horus Heresy Book Eight: Malevolence (Forge World Series) by Neil Wylie and Anuj Malhotra, pg. 286
| Adeptus Custodes Forces | |
|---|---|
| Command | Captain-General • Custodian Tribunate • Captain-Commander (Guardian Captain-Commander • Allarus Captain-Commander • Vertus Captain-Commander) • Shield-Captain |
| Elites | Blade Champion • Hetaeron Guard • Aquilon Terminator • Ephoroi • Allarus Custodian • Custodian Warden • Vexilus Praetor • Custodian Apothecary |
| Fast Attack | Agamatus Jetbike Squad • Vertus Praetor • Venatari Custodian |
| Troops | Custodian Guard • Sentinel Guard • Sagittarum Guard Squad |
| Dreadnoughts | Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought • Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought • Contemptor-Achillus Dreadnought • Telemon Heavy Dreadnought |
| Vehicles | Coronus Grav-Carrier • Caladius Grav-Tank • Pallas Grav-Attack • Venerable Land Raider • Rhino • Grav-Rhino • Grav-Raider • Grav-Spartan |
| Aircraft | Stormbird • Storm Eagle • Orion Assault Dropship • Ares Gunship • Aquila Lander • Talion • Equinox Interceptor • Zenith Gunship |