The Fall Of Outpost Sigma-12 at Warhammer World

One of the newer displays at Warhammer World was this Horus Heresy battle, entitled, The Fall Of Outpost Sigma-12.

Traitor forces breach the Imperial Fist’s last defensive lines at Outpost Sigma-12 on Cthonia. Undermined by the Sons of Horus’ subterranean onslaught, the Loyalists are determined to fight to the last in the name of the Emperor.

They ultimately reap such a toll of Traitor lives that any victory won was a hollow one. This battle would be one of the last fought during the Horus Heresy, for shortly after its bloody conclusion Horus launched his assault on the Emperor’s Palace on distant Terra.

Legion Vindicator Siege Tank

This Space Wolves Legion Vindicator Siege Tank was part of a diorama at Warhammer World.

Space Wolves Legion Vindicator
Space Wolves Legion Vindicator

The Vindicator is a dedicated siege tank, deployed by the Legiones Astartes to breach enemy fortifications and destroy the heaviest enemy vehicles. Slow, ponderous, but heavily armoured, these tanks rumble into range before unleashing a devastating salvo of demolisher shells or piercing bursts of energy from a magna laser destroyer. Vindicators are especially useful in the confined terrain of cities or other enclosed battlefields, where they can smash buildings to broken ruins and forge a path through otherwise impassable obstacles.

Caladius Grav-Tank

This Legio Custodes Caladius Grav-Tank was part of the displays at Warhammer World.

Caladius Grav-Tank

Often deployed in situations requiring the heaviest of weapons the Legio Custodes could bring to bear, the Caladius pattern Grav-Tank. Utilising technologies and systems derived not only from the Dark Age of Technology, but from developments made as a result of the Great Crusade’s two centuries of warfare, the Caladius was well-protected and highly manoeuvrable, perhaps the most powerful battleline armoured unit of its size in the Imperium’s forces.

The principal armament of the Caladius is the double-barrelled Iliastus accelerator cannon, an advanced weapon which was to become the precursor to the main weapon of the Legiones Astartes Sicaran Battle Tank. The Grav-Tank is also armed with a twin-linked Lastrum bolt cannon, exemplars of bolt-weapon technology whose bolt shells are customised mass-reactive heliothermic warheads, hand crafted by the artisan weaponsmiths of the Lastrum Core Clan on Terra.

 

Orion Assault Dropship

Created as a dedicated assault dropship for the Legio Custodes, the Orion can carry a full task force of the Emperor’s Talons into combat. Protected by frontal armour superior to that of the Legiones Astartes Thunderhawk Gunship, its Arachnus heavy blaze cannon and Lastrum bolt cannon can swiftly clear a landing zone of hostile infantry and armour with brutal efficiency, allowing the units within to deploy before it soars back into the sky to unleash death upon any foe who dares approach.

This Legio Custodes Orion Assault Dropship was on display ay Warhammer World.

Orion Assault Dropship Miniatures Gallery.

Sons of Horus Typhon Heavy Siege Tank

This Sons of Horus Typhon Heavy Siege Tank was on display at Warhammer World.

Named for the ‘Great Beast’ of Ancient Terran myth, the immense Typhon Heavy Siege Tank was developed by the Mechanicum alongside the Spartan, with which it shares a basic chassis design.

I have the plastic kit version of the Typhon Heavy Siege Tank on my workbench.

Typhon Heavy Siege Tank Miniatures Gallery.

Deimos Pattern Predator

The Predator is perhaps the best known and most widespread variant of the basic Rhino chassis. Augmented with superior armour and firepower, it entirely sacrifices the Rhino’s troop transport capacity in favour of ammunition and generators for its formidable weapon systems. 

This Deimos Pattern Predator was on display at Warhammer World.

See the Deimos Pattern Predator Miniatures Gallery.

See the workbench feature on the Deimos Pattern Predator Battle Tank.

Legion Dreadnought Drop Pod

This Legion Dreadnought Drop Pod was on display at Warhammer World.

Legion Dreadnought drop pods are larger than the general service drop pods employed by the infantry of the Legiones Astartes, with a sturdier frame and more powerful engine designed to support the formidable machine shell of a Dreadnought. As a result, these armoured capsules strike with unprecedented speed, making a dangerously meteoric descent from orbit to deliver their lethal cargo. Legions value these drop pods both for their ability to deploy Dreadnoughts safely onto the battlefield, and for the sheer impact of a mighty combat walker arriving from the skies.

Land Raider Proteus

There were various Land Raider Proteus models on display at Warhammer World.

Land Raider Proteus

Mechanicus tech-savants believe that the Land Raider Proteus is a precursor to the Phobos pattern vehicle now found amongst the armouriums of the Adeptus Astartes. Bulkier and faster than the Phobos, ancient and forgotten data-looms describe the Proteus as a forward assault vehicle, commonly fielded in Explorator missions during the dawning days of Mankind’s fledgling galactic empire.

Land Raider Proteus

Those of us who have been playing Warhammer 40K since it was first released will recognise this model. It is of course a new version of the original Land Raider that was released back in 1987 following the release of the 1st edition of Warhammer 40,000, Rogue Trader. Forge World did release a resin version over ten years ago and this is the model on display above.

There was also this variant Proteus with armoured hull mounted dual lascannons on display made from the new plastic kit.

Land Raider Proteus

This variant can be made from the Horus Heresy plastic kit.

It is similar to the armoured Proteus which was announced back at Games Day 2011. However it is missing the sponsons.

Land Raider Proteus Miniatures Gallery

Voss Pattern Lightning Strike Fighter

This Voss Pattern Lightning Strike Fighter was on display at Warhammer World.

Following the Saint-Saen Crusade’s liberation of twelve worlds in the Segmentum Obscurus, STC patterns were recovered for an air superiority fighter, smaller and more agile than the iconic Thunderbolt. The Lightning has since been disseminated to other worlds with strong ties to the Imperial Navy, notably Bakka and Hydraphur, and production has recently begun within the Segmentum Solar, resulting in the Voss Pattern Lightning Strike Fighter.

The ‘Strike’ variant of the Lightning is equipped with a potent armament of six Hellstrike missiles as well as its twin-linked lascannon, fulfilling a dedicated ground attack role.

Deimos Vindicator Laser Destroyer

This Legiones Astartes Ultramarines Deimos Vindicator Laser Destroyer was on display in the cabinets at Warhammer World.

The Vindicator laser destroyer array is a devastating weapon, capable of unleashing a torrent of laser energy that can tear through the armor of even the heaviest enemy vehicles. It was first fitted to the heavily armored Deimos pattern Vindicator chassis during the dark days of the Horus Heresy, when several Legions fielded this variant as a mainline battle tank. The Vindicator laser destroyer proved itself to be an able tank hunter, time and again destroying enemy tanks and other armored vehicles with ease.

After the Horus Heresy, the Vindicator laser destroyer array remained in service with Space Marine Chapters. It is still used today, and remains one of the most feared anti-tank weapons in the Imperium’s arsenal. Vindicator laser destroyer arrays are often deployed to support infantry units, providing them with the firepower they need to break through enemy armor and fortifications.