A Saturnyne Pattern Aurox Armoured Transport of the Solar Auxilia during the Horus Heresy.
The Aurox, formally known as the Aurox Armoured Transport, was an early Imperial armoured troop transport tank used by the forces of the Imperial Army and the Imperialis Militia. Created with the authorisation of the Fabricator-General of Mars as the Imperial Host expanded into the galaxy during the Great Crusade of the late 30th Millennium, the design philosophy behind the Aurox was similar to that of the Space Marine Legions' Rhino Armoured Carrier. It was designed to be mass-manufactured, reproducible and easily serviced by units in the field. In addition, the Aurox has a modular design which allows for additional armour and weapons configurations.
A utilitarian transport vehicle, the Aurox is little more than a cube of extremely dense armour with an enormous tank track on either side -- each surface of the hull has at least 1 set of doors, used for the rapid disgorgement of the up to 10 troops carried within. At the front is a driver's hatch with a sensor array beside it, and a mounted Heavy Stubber at the top, with hatch behind. A large exhaust pokes out from either side, and yet another hatch (there are actually 6 in total) makes up the bulk of the rear.
An armoured troop transport tank, the Aurox was primarily used by various arms of the Imperial Army, which includes the Imperialis Militia, to carry veteran grenadier units to battle or to protect their commanders while dictating the course of battle. A further variant of the Aurox called the Saturnyne Pattern Aurox Armoured Transport was used by the regiments of the Solar Auxilia, which was re-fitted for extreme environmental conditions. It is unknown if the Aurox is still in use by the Astra Militarum and Planetary Defence Forces of the late 41st Millennium.
History[]
With the influx of material resources and template constructs recovered from newly Compliant worlds throughout the expanding frontiers of the Great Crusade, early attempts were made to standardise the equipment and war machines of the Imperial Army. The Aurox Armoured Transport is one of the earliest examples of this vision of a single standard for equipping the Imperial Army. Later, during the Horus Heresy, the Aurox was deployed by Loyalist and Traitor forces alike, and was often used to transport the Warp Cultists in service to the Warmaster Horus' armies to the front.
Unit Composition[]
- 1 Aurox
- 1 Saturnyne Pattern Aurox
Armament[]
Aurox Armoured Transport (Imperialis Militia and Chaos Cults)[]
- Heavy Stubber (Pintle Mounted)
- Heavy Flamer (Pintle Mounted, Optional replacement for Heavy Stubber)
Saturnyne Pattern Aurox Armoured Transport (Solar Auxilia)[]
- Heavy Stubber (Pintle Mounted)
- Heavy Flamer (Pintle Mounted, Optional replacement for Heavy Stubber)
- Multi-Laser (Pintle Mounted, Optional replacement for Heavy Stubber)
- Extra Armour Plating
- Hazardous Environment Modifications
Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications[]
The technical specifications of the Aurox Armoured Transport are not currently available in Imperial records.
Sources[]
- Forge World Aurox Pattern Armoured Transport
- Aurox Imperialis Militia Statistics Sheet
- Sautnyne Pattern Aurox Armoured Transport Statistics Sheet
Gallery[]
