An ancient pict-capture of a Deimos Predator Executioner of the Death Guard Legion during the Istvaan III Atrocity
The Deimos Predator Executioner, also known as the Predator Executioner, is a variant of the standard Deimos Predator Destructor main battle tank used by the Space Marine Legions and after the Second Founding by the Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. The Deimos Predator Executioner is an ancient and revered design that dates back to the time of the Emperor of Mankind's Great Crusade, where it was used by the Space Marine Legions as they conquered the galaxy. The Deimos Predator design differs from other Predator variants in that its turret and sponson-mounts are eloquently curved to the point that they are almost circular and the tank makes use of more advanced internal systems and support for technologies now lost to the Imperium. Each and every Deimos Predator was Artificer-crafted by the finest machine-wrights of the great forge-complexes of Mars. The Deimos Predator Executioner is no longer manufactured on a large scale, or at all, for the Chapters of the Space Marines as the Mars Pattern Predator is now used almost exclusively by the Adeptus Astartes. As Plasma Weapons technology has been nearly lost to the Imperium in the late 41st Millennium, the Predator Executioner's main weapon, the Plasma Destroyer, is extremely rare and difficult to replace. However, these vehicles still survive in the Armoury of many Chapters, revered as both relics of the long-forgotten past and as symbols of a Chapter's ancient heritage.
Armament
A Deimos Predator Executioner armed with a turret-mounted Plasma Destroyer and sponson-mounted Lascannons
The Deimos Predator Executioner replaces the standard Deimos Predator's turret-mounted Autocannon, known as a Predator Cannon, with a turret-mounted Executioner Pattern Plasma Destroyer. The Plasma Destroyer is a powerful Plasma Weapon that is able to blast apart even the most powerful armour with contemptuous ease. The Predator Executioner was fielded in large numbers by the Space Marine Legions during the Great Crusade, although by the late 41st Millennium Plasma Weapons technology has nearly been lost to the Imperium. As a result, surviving Deimos Predator Executioners are revered as treasured relics that cannot be easily replaced. It is unknown if the Mars Pattern Predator can be armed with the same weapon loadouts as the Deimos Predator variant, or even if the Adeptus Mechanicus would allow it if it were possible. The Deimos Predator Executioner can also be armed with a turret-mounted Heavy Conversion Beamer in place of its Plasma Destroyer. The Heavy Conversion Beamer is an ancient and poorly understood weapon that fires a high intensity beam of anti-matter that transforms matter into pure energy. A heavily armoured target and dense material will be rent apart as its matter is transmuted into pure electromagnetic energy. The denser the material of the target, the more energy that is converted, making Predator Executioners into extremely powerful siege units and long-range tank destroyers. Yet, this firepower is gained at the cost of maneuverability and increased vulnerability to short-range attacks. The Deimos Predator Executioner, as with all Predator tanks, can be armed with up to two sponson-mounted weapons including Heavy Bolters, Heavy Flamers, or Lascannons. The tank can be equipped with a variety of Pintle-mounted weaponry, including a Combi-Bolter or other Combi-Weapon, a Heavy Flamer, a Heavy Bolter, or a Havoc Missile Launcher. The vehicle can also be outfitted with a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a dozer blade, an auxiliary drive system, extra armour plating, armoured ceramite plating, or an advanced Machine Spirit (Artificial Intelligence). All Deimos Predator Executioners are equipped with smoke launchers and a searchlight.
Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications
| Vehicle Name: | Deimos Predator Executioner | Main Armament: | Single Turret-mounted Plasma Destroyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | Deimos (Mars' Moon) (No Longer Constructed at this Forge World, Imprint Held Elswhere) | Secondary Armament: | 2 Sponson-mounted Heavy Bolters |
| Known Patterns: | Deimos | Traverse: | 360 degrees |
| Crew: | 1 Driver, 1 Gunner | Elevation: | -15 to 28 degrees |
| Powerplant: | Quad Mark IV Adaptable Thermic Combustor Reactor | Main Ammunition: | 12 Shots from photonic fuel cell (approx.) |
| Weight: | 42 tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | 1100 Rounds |
| Length: | 6.6 metres | Armour: | |
| Width: | 6.0 metres with sponsons | ||
| Height: | 4.4 metres | Superstructure: | 65 millimetres |
| Ground Clearance: | 0.44 metres | Hull: | 55 millimetres |
| Max Speed On-Road: | 70 kilometres per hour | Gun Mantlet: | 65 millimetres |
| Max Speed Off-Road: | 58 kilometres per hour | Vehicle Designation: | Unknown |
| Transport Capacity: | N/A | Firing Ports: | N/A |
| Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | N/A |
Also See
Sources
- Imperial Armour Volume Two, Second Edition - War Machines of the Adeptus Astartes, pp. 74-75, 77
- Imperial Armour Volume Twelve - The Fall of Orpheus, pp. 133, 155
- Imperial Armour Volume Thirteen - War Machines of the Lost & The Damned by Andy Hoare with additional material by Alan Bligh & Neil Wylie, pp. 31-33
- The Horus Heresy - Book One: Betrayal by Alan Bligh, pp. 116, 119, 124, 154, 156, 216-217, 256
- Forge World Webstore - Deimos Predator Executioner
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