Vanquisher Cannon

The most common use for the Vanquisher Cannon is that of the Leman Russ Vanquisher

The Vanquisher Cannon is a more complex variant of the standard Imperial Battle Cannon. The most obvious difference between the Vanquisher Cannon and the Battle Cannon is that it is almost twice as long. The cannon uses specialised, shaped high explosive shells to take down enemy tanks from afar. The Vanquisher Cannon is most commonly used on Imperial Leman Russ Vanquisher tanks and the Macharius Vanquisher Heavy Tank.

History

The Vanquisher Cannon is becoming increasingly rare in Imperial service due to the actions of the Ork Warlord Arrgard the Defiler, who scoured the Forge World of Tigrus in the 35th Millennium, destroying the Standard Template Construct (STC) designs for constructing the Vanquisher Cannon in the process. Since that loss, efforts have been made to reproduce more Vanquisher Cannons on other Forge Worlds, with only mixed success. The Forge Worlds of Trebor I, Gryphonne IV and Stygies VIII have enjoyed the most success, and are now capable of producing Vanquisher Cannons in limited quantities. Other Forge Worlds continue their efforts, though it is a slow and complex process. Of all the extant Imperial Forge Worlds, only Trebor I caters exclusively to the needs of Cadia. One of the most sought-after creations from Trebor I is its pattern of the Vanquisher Cannon which is known as the Heavy Vanquisher Cannon, and it is the most powerful of all the Vanquisher Cannon variants. During the Dark Age of Technology, the two independent interstellar empires of Terra and Mars co-existed, to the mutual benefit of both. Trebor I was colonised by survivors from both Terra and Mars after their starships were lost and damaged during a Warp Storm. This forced both groups to combine their knowledge and build the most advanced of of all the Forge Worlds. Lost for centuries, Trebor I was re-discovered for the Imperium by Commissar Yarrick during the Second War for Armageddon. As a result, Trebor I has sworn its allegiance -- and more importantly, its industrial output -- only to Commissar Yarrick and to Cadia.

Vanquisher Cannon Variants

The three Forge Worlds' versions of the Vanquisher Cannon are not exact copies of the original STC pattern. Instead, each possesses slightly different qualities. Gryphonne IV's cannons are longer than the Stygies VIII equivalents, producing remarkable shell velocity to penetrate armour plate. Stygies VIII cannons are shorter, and utilise a smaller calibre shell with no barrel rifling. However, the Stygies VIII cannons have superior recoil absorption, allowing for greater accuracy with follow-up shots. The Trebor I Heavy Vanquisher Cannon is the longest of all three variants, and each can be easily identified by its longer and thicker barrel and the heavy-gauge suppressor/velocity compensator that resembles the tip of a Hellhammer Cannon. The thicker barrel along with the heavy-gauge compensators allow for a range that is 25% farther than either of the other two patterns of the cannon, with amazing pin-point accuracy. This power and accuracy has brought many a Chaos Titan and Greenskin Stompa to their demise with little effort as a result of the Heavy Vanquisher Cannon's power. The remarkable penetrative power of the Leman Russ Vanquisher means it is a highly desired tool for Imperial Commanders. Not even a Titan is safe from its mighty weapons. This fact has not escaped the Imperium’s enemies amongst the Forces of Chaos and the more intelligent Ork hordes, who tend to make Vanquishers priority targets for capture.

Sources

• Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy, pp. 31-46
• Imperial Armour Apocalypse, p. 18
• Imperial Armour, pp. 40-41
• Codex: Imperial Guard (3rd Edition, 1st Codex), p. 20
• Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition), p. 49
• Codex: Astra Millitarum (6th Edition), p.62