Dracosan

A Dracosan Armoured Carrier of the Solar Auxilia

Dracosan Armoured Carriers were heavy-duty transport tanks almost exclusively used by Solar Auxilia Cohorts during the Great Crusade-era but that have since then been supplanted by other designs. The Dracosan was a common sight in the 30th Millennium, being manufactured by several dozen of Forge Worlds across all of the Imperium. Heavily armed and armoured, the Dracosan matches specifications and standards usually only to be found in war machines destined for service with the Legiones Astartes. Being intended for service in hostile environments and even the void of space, the Dracosan needed to be absolutely air-tight as not to endanger the lives of its passengers and crew. This unusally large transport was specifically designed to convey a full strength Solar Auxilia Infantry Tercio of twenty auxiliaries and armoured so heavily as to deliver these troops every where even amongst the heaviest enemy fire. Equipped with a fearsome array of weapons on its own, the Dracosan can steadfastly defend itself against enemy counter-attack and pound enemy positions to dust before the auxiliaries disembark to storm what remains of their objective. Given the necessary resources to built such an exceptional vehicle, the Dracosan was almost exclusively employed by ’regular’ Solar Auxilia Cohorts or other formations following the same order of battle such as elite retainers of high status Imperial Commanders or certain households troops of Rogue Trader Militants.

Armament

The Dracosan’s purpose was mostly to conduct heavy assaults on fortified positions, to breach said positions the Dracosan needed a powerful main armament to allow its troop complement to disembark directly on top of enemy positions. The Dracosan standard armament has therefor been listed as being twin-linked lascannons, allthough some version fielded the fearful Demolisher Cannon which unfortunately sacrificed a large amount of its transport capacity. The transport's hull was not outfitted to carry a secondary weapon system as on other Imperial vehicles but pintle-mounted multi-lasers, heavy flamers ad even hunter-killer missiles launchers were fairly common.

Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications

The Adeptus Mechanicus has to date been unwilling to release technical specifications on the Dracosan, it is however known that the Dracosan benefited from some of the most common equipment as a matter of fact, which includes smoke launchers, a Searchlight, extra armour and Explorator Adaptation. Some models have been known to benefit from further enhancements such as dozer blades, Flare-Shields or an auxiliary-drive.

Sources

• The Horus Heresy - Book Four : Conquest, pp. 57, 83, 90-91, 264, 270
• Forge World - Solar Auxilia Dracosan Armoured Transport

Gallery

A Solar Auxilia Dracosan Armoured Carrier

A Dracosan Armoured Carrier (side view)

A Dracosan Armoured Carrier (rear view)