Baneblade

"Releasing eleven barrels of HELL! All Guardsmen, FOLLOW ME TO GLORY!"

—Kronus 1st Liberators Baneblade Tank Commander on his external Vox-caster

The Baneblade is the primary super-heavy tank of the Imperial Guard, and one of the largest and oldest armoured fighting vehicles in the service of the Imperial armed forces. The tank is a venerated Standard Template Construct (STC) design, with ten people needed to fully crew one. It is also one of the oldest STC designs in existence. They are often used as command vehicles by Imperial Guard commanders.

The standard configuration Baneblade is a powerful main battle tank with no particular strength or weakness. It is best deployed in the role of heavy infantry support, where it can engage both infantry waves with its Heavy Bolters and Demolisher Cannon, while at the same time punish enemy armour with its Mega Battle Cannon and Lascannons. The sight of a mighty Baneblade rumbling forward is a major boost for any supporting Imperial infantry's morale, and when correctly supported, the Baneblade excels at decimating anything smaller than itself with its large array of guns while crushing the remains of its enemies under its massive tracks. This combination of inspiring presence on the battlefield and tremendous capacity for destruction explains why the Baneblade is favoured as a command vehicle by regimental commanders and even members of the Imperial General Staff who decide to take to the field. Such Command Baneblades are specially equipped with powerful Vox arrays and tactical planning equipment, allowing the officer in charge to keep control of his troops while he participates in the fighting.

For all its might, however, the Baneblade is not perfect: it is slow, lacks maneuverability and is a very large target. Baneblades are also not as effective when facing dedicated anti-armour vehicles due to the relative short range of their weapons. A single tank hunter like a Leman Russ Vanquisher can easily damage or even destroy a Baneblade long before it comes into range of the smaller tank. This is why the very adaptable chassis of the Baneblade has been used over the millenia to create more dedicated variants, from the Shadowsword Titan-killer which forgoes almost all other weapons to sport a Volcano Cannon; to the Stormlord line-breaker tank which gives up all anti-armour weaponry in favour of a Vulcan Mega Bolter, a greater number of Heavy Bolters, and the capacity to transport an entire platoon of Imperial Guardsmen.

History

Baneblade with Infantry — A Baneblade providing infantry with cover

The Baneblade and its variants are amongst the oldest patterns of tanks still being used by the Imperium of Man in the 41st Millennium. It is rumoured that in the past there were entire divisions of Baneblades in service to the Emperor of Mankind but that number is severely diminished at present, like most of the more advanced technologies available to the Imperium. There are two main patterns of Baneblade, the Lucius Pattern from Forge World Lucius, and the Mars Pattern manufactured on Mars itself. The Lucius Pattern Baneblade has a more heavily fortified chassis and larger amounts of armour plate and makes use of a more powerful engine to remain mobile with this added weight. However, the vast majority of Baneblades available in the Imperium were created in the forges of Mars. Every Baneblade made in the Imperium is transcribed with its own unique serial number and name and all the records of each vehicle's service and accomplishments in combat are reverently recorded on the Forge World of that vehicle's construction.

Armament

Baneblade and Titan — A Baneblade moving ahead of a *Warhound*-class Titan

The Baneblade possesses a powerful set of armaments. The standard Baneblade complement includes a turret-mounted Mega Battle Cannon, also known as the Baneblade Cannon, which includes a coaxial Autocannon, three sets of twin-linked Heavy Bolters (one sponson-mounted set on either side, and one turret-mounted on the front hull slope), two turret-mounted Lascannons on either side, mounted directly above the side sponsons, and lastly, a fixed-forward hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon. This totals eleven weapon barrels of various sizes and roles, giving full coverage in all arcs. The Baneblade can be further given a pintle mounted Storm Bolter or Heavy Stubber and a single-fire Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, bringing the total up to thirteen. The vehicle can also be outfitted with a searchlight and smoke launchers.

Baneblades are so rare in the present Imperial armed forces that some companies upgrade a Leman Russ tank, adding sponson-mounted Lascannons if they are short on Baneblades. The Baneblade is also in extremely high demand amongst Imperial Guard armoured regiments, meaning that most such regiments will only possess 5-10.

Known Formations

Steel Fury Baneblade Company - Steel Fury Baneblade Companies are often formed to face enemy Titans in combat, particularly if the Imperial forces present do not possess any Titans themselves. When such an occasion occurs the Tactica Imperium dictates that all available super-heavy vehicles be drawn together to combat the threat. The super-heavy vehicles will concentrate their firepower upon the enemy war machine, and once under fire from multiple Baneblades, even the mightiest Titan must eventually fall. These companies are usually made up of anywhere between three to five Baneblades.

Crew

A Baneblade is a massive war machine, requiring a crew of ten individuals to function properly. The different roles on board of a Baneblade are:

Tank Commander: The senior officer on board (with the rank of at least Lieutenant and often higher), the Tank Commander is the Baneblade's brains, coordinating the massive tank's responses to any given situation.
Tactical Officer: often the tank's second-in-command, the Tactical Officer has to use the multiple Auspexes and auguries from the Baneblade to identify roads, potential pitfalls, friend and foe, primary and secondary targets; and assure the coordination between his tank and any other Imperial forces in the area. The position of Tactical Officer on a Baneblade is extremely demanding and requires a man or woman with a quick mind, steel nerves and able at multitasking.
Driver - the driver's role is to steer the tank, which, considering the massive Baneblade's weight and inertia, can be a daunting task. In battle, he can also if necessary fire both the frontal Demolisher Cannon and Twin-linked Heavy Bolters when the situation requires it.
Adept of the Mechanicus: Each Baneblade has a designed member of the Adeptus Mechanicus that is permanently made part of the crew, and performs the routine maintenance, placation rituals of the tank's Machine Spirit and emergency repairs during operations. Depending on the age and importance of the tank, this can be a simple Tech-adept, an Enginseer or a full-fledged Tech-priest.
Primary Gunner: the Primary Gunner operates the Baneblade's turret, mainly the Mega Battle Cannon. The coaxial Autocannon being often only used to perform ranging shots for the other weapon systems.
Secondary Gunner: The Secondary Gunner is in charge of the hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon.
Primary and Secondary Loader: the Primary Loader and Secondary Loader work in tandem in the Baneblade's magazine, performing the thankless but vital task of furnishing the Mega Battle Cannon and Demolisher Cannon with ammunition.
Tertiary Gunner: The Tertiary Gunner is in charge of all the secondary sponson-mounted weapon systems. If the secondary firepower is not required, the Tertiary Gunner assist the Tactical Officer and the Tank Commander by manning some of the Auspexes.
Tertiary Loader: Since the sponson-mounted weapons are fed automatically, the Tertiary Loader acts more as a mobile reserve within the tank, assisting where his help is the most crucial; whether firing some sponsons in tandem with the Tertiary Gunner, ferrying shells with the two other Loaders, manning the Vox while the Tactical Officer is otherwise busy or even assisting the Tech-priest with repairs. New members of a crew almost always start their career on a Baneblade as Tertiary Gunner, as the position allows to quickly absorb the rudiments of each other position in the tank.

Variants

There are several variants of the Baneblade officially recognised by the Adeptus Mechanicus that are in current use with the Imperial Guard. The Standard Template Construct chassis of the Baneblade is highly adaptable, and the Tech-priests have capitalised on this, furnishing the Imperial Guard with the tools of war it required without having to have the Guard field their own much harder to produce and maintain Titan Legions. These vehicles are mostly the result of an Imperial commander discovering an unmet tactical need that can only be accomplished by a super-heavy tank like the Baneblade. These variants are created by changing out the tank's standard weapons with those not usually found on a Baneblade. Known variants of the Baneblade include the following:

Hellhammer - The Hellhammer variant of the Baneblade replaces the original Mega Battle Cannon with a Hellhammer Cannon. This weapon is a variant of the standard Battle Cannon deployed on Leman Russ Tanks except that it has a shorter barrel with special heavy-gauge suppressors built into it that allows it to fire extremely high-calibre shells without ripping itself apart. This weapon allows the Hellhammer to engage multiple infantry and light armour units at once, due to the higher rate of fire that the Hellhammer Cannon makes possible.
Stormhammer - The Stormhammer is an extremely rare Baneblade variant that replaces the Mega Battle Cannon with a set of twin-linked Battle Cannons, and adds a second turret on the front hull with another set of twin-linked Battle Cannons. The Stormhammer also adds another set of sponson and top sponson mounts to the sides of the vehicle. A fully armed Stormhammer can deploy over 20 barrelled weapons at once, and is unsurpassed by any other Imperial armoured vehicle when it comes to sheer firepower.

Notable Users of the Baneblade

9th Konig Heavy Tank Company - Attached to the 7th Mortant Regiment's 2nd Company during the Colonia Campaign
13th Krieg Heavy Tank Company - Attached to the 28th Death Korps of Krieg Armoured Regiment during the Galen V Expedition
11th Tekarn Heavy Tank Company - Served on the Death World of Denkari Minor, fighting the Ork WAAAGH! Grughakh
1st Death Korps of Krieg Panzer Division, "Emperor's Loyal Shield" - The 1st Panzer Division participated in the Cleansing of Radnar
98th Cadian Armoured Regiment - Participated in the Luxor Uprising
3rd Cadian Heavy Tank Regiment (also known as the 3rd Cadian Heavy Tank Company) - Attached to the 122nd Cadian Shock Troops Regiment for the Battle of Vogen during the Khai Zhan Uprising
12th Tallarn Armoured Regiment - Fought against the Tau during the Taros Campaign
409th Tallarn Heavy Tank Regiment - Fought against the Tau during the Taros Campaign
66th Death Korps of Krieg Tank Regiment - Fought against the Traitor forces during the Siege of Vraks
11th Death Korps of Krieg Tank Regiment - Fought against the Traitor forces during the Siege of Vraks
7th Death Korps of Krieg Tank Regiment - Fought against the Traitor forces during the Siege of Vraks
9th Tallarn Heavy Tank Company
19th Teutonian Super Heavy Tank Company
8th Valhallan Armoured Regiment - Advanced on Sallan's Point during the Sallan's World Campaign
12th Vellurian Armoured Cavalry Regiment
1st Kronus Regiment, "The Liberators"
252nd Kauravan Conservator Regiment
1st Kovnian Tank Regiment, "The Black Knights"
5th Cadian Armoured Regiment - Part of the Cadian Gate garrison force
Tyrant's Legion - The Tyrant's Legion was the Secessionist Auxilia that fought against the Loyalist forces during the Badab War
44th Lavrentian Hussars - Used during the battle for the world of Pavonis
7th Paragonian Super-heavy Tank Company - The 7th Paragonian consisted of 2 Baneblades, the Mars Triumphant and the Artemen Ultrus, the Hellhammer Ostrakan's Rebirth and the Shadowsword Lux Imperator. The 7th Paragonian fought during the Imperial campaign against the Orks in the Kalidar System.

Notable Baneblades

Arethusa - Arethusa was the Baneblade commanded by Maximilian Weisemann of the 9th Konig Heavy Tank Company during the Colonia Campaign.
Artemen Ultrus - Artemen Ultrus was a Baneblade of the 7th Paragonian Super-heavy Tank Company that fought in the Indranis Campaign against Eldar pirates and the Kalidar Campaign against the Orks.
Black Claw Pride - The Black Claw Pride was part of the Tyrant's Legion of Traitor Guardsmen who turned against the Imperium alongside Lufgt Huron and his Astral Claws Space Marine Chapter during the Badab War.
Draco Rex - Draco Rex was a Baneblade of the 12th Tallarn Armoured Regiment, and was deployed during the Taros Campaign against the Tau Empire. It was destroyed by a Broadside Destructor Phalanx during the Battle of Phyyra Heights.
Father Time - The Father Time is commanded by the Colonel of the 44th Lavrentian Hussars, Lord Nathaniel Winterbourne.
Fortress of Arrogance - The Fortress of Arrogance served as the personal command vehicle of Commissar Sebastian Yarrick during his sweep of the worlds in the Armageddon System in the wake of the Second War for Armageddon for Greenskin forces before it was disabled by an Ork attack on the world of Golgotha. Yarrick had formed such an emotional bond with the tank that he had its remains retrieved and restored by the Adeptus Mechanicus so that it could once again serve as his command vehicle during the Third War for Armageddon in 998.M41.
Malevolentia - Malevolentia was a Baneblade commanded by Lord General Raji Nethata of the Galamoth Armoured during the Purge of the Contqual Sub-sector.
Mars Triumphant - This Baneblade was manufactured on Mars in Baneblade Manufactorum CCIV in the Utopia Planitia region and was fully activated in 639.M39. Mars Triumphant was part of the 7th Paragonian Super-heavy Tank Company that fought in the Indranis Campaign against Eldar pirates and the Kalidar Campaign against the Orks. The Mars Triumphant was destroyed in 397.M41 on the world of Kalidar IV, during the Battle of Hive Meradon, in a suicide attack on an Ork Gargant, and subsequently written off as a complete loss for the company. The passing of this Baneblade was deeply mourned by the company's contingent of Enginseers.
Pride of Hera - The Pride of Hera was the Baneblade of the Ultramar Auxilia, the Planetary Defence Forces of the Realm of Ultramar. The tank met its fate when it was destroyed by an attack of Tyranid Carnifexes during the Battle of Macragge in the First Tyrannic War.
Steel Lord - Steel Lord is a Baneblade of the 89th Cadian Armoured Regiment.
Steel Might - Steel Might was the regimental command Baneblade of the 278th Mordian Regiment, which was destroyed by a looted Deathstrike Missile Launcher during the Imperial campaign for Baric VI in 994.M40.

Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications

**Mars Pattern Baneblade**
Vehicle Name:	Baneblade	Main Armament:	1 turret-mounted Mega Battle Cannon, 1 hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon
Forge World of Origin:	Mars	Secondary Armament:	1 Co-axial Autocannon, 2 turrent-mounted Lascannons, 3 twin-linked Heavy Bolters
Known Patterns:	I - X	Traverse:	360 and 6 degrees
Crew:	1 Commander, 1 Driver, 3 Gunners, 3 Loaders, 1 Comm-Operator, 1 Engineer	Elevation:	-2 to 28 degrees
Powerplant:	MR507 v18 Multi-Fuel	Main Ammunition:	22 Rounds and 18 Rounds
Weight:	316 Tonnes	Secondary Ammunition:	300 Rounds and 4000 Rounds
Length:	13.5 metres	Armour:
Width:	8.4 metres	Armour:
Height:	6.3 metres	Superstructure:	200 millimetres
Ground Clearance:	1.2 metres	Hull:	200 millimetres
Max Speed On-Road:	25 kilometres per hour	Gun Mantlet:	180 millimetres
Max Speed Off-Road:	18 kilometres per hour	Vehicle Designation:	0427-658-0435-BB018
Transport Capacity:	N/A	Firing Ports:	N/A
Access Points:	N/A	Turret:	220 millimetres

**Lucius Pattern Baneblade**
Vehicle Name:	Baneblade	Main Armament:	1 turret-mounted Mega Battle Cannon, 1 hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon
Forge World of Origin:	Lucius	Secondary Armament:	1 Co-axial Autocannon, 2 turrent-mounted Lascannons, 3 twin-linked Heavy Bolters
Known Patterns:	I - IV	Traverse:	360 and 6 degrees
Crew:	1 Commander, 1 Driver, 3 Gunners, 3 Loaders, 1 Comm-Operator, 1 Engineer	Elevation:	-2 to 28 degrees
Powerplant:	MR503 v18 Multi-Fuel	Main Ammunition:	22 Rounds and 18 Rounds
Weight:	319 Tonnes	Secondary Ammunition:	300 Rounds and 4000 Rounds
Length:	13.5 metres	Armour:
Width:	8.4 metres	Armour:
Height:	6.3 metres	Superstructure:	210 millimetres
Ground Clearance:	1.2 metres	Hull:	190 millimetres
Max Speed On-Road:	25 kilometres per hour	Gun Mantlet:	180 millimetres
Max Speed Off-Road:	18 kilometres per hour	Vehicle Designation:	0427-658-0435-BB010
Transport Capacity:	N/A	Firing Ports:	N/A
Access Points:	N/A	Turret:	220 millimetres

Trivia

Every Baneblade made in the Imperium of Man is transcribed with its own unique serial number and name. In real life every Baneblade resin kit includes a unique Forge World Certification Number.

Sources

Imperial Armour, pp. 20-21
Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy, pp. 79-90
Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard (Second Edition), pp. 8, 90-99, 253, 267, 271-272, 281, 283, 287, 289
Imperial Armour Volume Three - The Taros Campaign, pp. 56, 88, 91, 261, 263
Imperial Armour Volume Five - The Siege of Vraks - Part One, pp. 15, 48, 53, 77, 183
Imperial Armour Volume Nine - The Badab War - Part One, pg. 198
Imperial Armour - Apocalypse II , pg. 59
Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse, pg. 104
Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse (6th Edition), pp. 135, 151, 269-270, 330, 366-367
Only War: Core Rulebook (RPG), pp. 219-220
Baneblade (Novel) by Guy Haley