The Sokar pattern Stormbird is a dedicated attack lander. It has served as a high-durability orbital assault craft, a mobile bastion and firebase which could land a Space Marine strike force and withstand heavy ground fire while its cargo or troops and war machines disembarked to press the attack. One of the later patterns developed, the Sokar was the design precursor to the smaller Thunderhawk Gunship. The Stormbird’s standard armament is four turret-mounted twin linked lascannon, three twin-linked heavy bolters, and a complement of six dreadstrike missiles. It is also equipped with particularly dense composite armour plating, and is further protected by a series of void shield generators which it can extend to protect disembarking troops and war machines. Its cavernous transport bays can hold 50 fully armed Space Marines. Alternatively it can carry up to 5 Dreadnoughts, including the mighty Leviathan; Jump-pack equipped infantry; Rapier batteries; bikes; jetbikes; a Rhino armoured transport; or a mixed force of all of the above.
I’ve always preferred the original concept of the Stormbird.
