mastodon heavy assault transport Archives

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. I have already posted some photographs of the display.

There were lots of Warhammer: The Horus Heresy models on display within the diorama.

This was a Sons of Horus Mastodon Heavy Assault Transport disgorging Space Marines into the battle.

The Mastodon was one of the heaviest assault transports in the arsenal of the Legiones Astartes during the Great Crusade. Its cavernous assault bay, capable of housing almost half a Company, is protected both by thick layers of ceramite armour as well as crackling void shields. It also mounts a fearsome siege melta array, allowing it to breach even the most formidable defences with ease, as well as an array of secondary weaponry intended to defend the vehicle as it approaches its target.

A wider view of the Sons of Horus assault on the Imperial Fists. In the background is a loyalist titan.

Storm Eagle gunship flying over the battlefield.

A formidable gunship, the Storm Eagle mounts fearsome firepower for a vehicle of its size and is capable of transporting twenty Space Marines directly into the thick of an assault.

Sons of Horus Sicaran Battle Tank.

Sicaran is one of the most advanced armoured units in the arsenal of the Legiones Astartes, a fast-moving destroyer tank designed to outflank enemy formations before unleashing an overwhelming onslaught of mid-range firepower. Though its chassis supports a number of variants fielded throughout the Legions, the core Sicaran battle tank remains a versatile favourite. Armed with Herakles-pattern accelerator autocannons, it provides high-volume, high-velocity fire support that can rip through infantry and vehicles alike – its sophisticated sensors tracking swift-moving targets and pinpointing vulnerabilities in enemy armour.

Sons of Horus Kratos Heavy Assault Tank

The Kratos Heavy Assault Tank is based on an Ancient Terran pattern fielded during the Unification of Old Earth, redesigned after the Emperor’s treaty with the Lords of Mars to serve as the spearhead of the Great Crusade, a line-breaker and foe hammer. This grinding battle tank is all but impervious to enemy fire, and its steady, inexorable advance provides an indomitable core to any assault by the Legiones Astartes, enforced by a barrage of overwhelming firepower.

Arquitor Bombard with Morbus Heavy Bombard.

The Legion Arquitor is a heavy artillery platform designed to operate at the forefront of a Legiones Astartes advance. Equipped with a reinforced chassis and brutal short range firepower, it is called upon to break the most stubborn of fortifications or to annihilate massed enemy infantry and armour. The morbus bombard launches shells loaded with deadly phosphex, a toxic and corrosive incendiary compound that eats through flesh and metal alike, tainting the very ground and air with alchemical fire.

Sons of Horus Sicaran Battle Tank.

Another view of the Sons of Horus Mastodon Heavy Assault Transport.

Mastodon Heavy Assault Transport

The Mastodon was one of the heaviest assault transports in the arsenal of the Legiones Astartes during the Great Crusade, and is still found in the armouries of the Space Marine Chapters of the 41st Millenium. Its cavernous assault bay, capable of housing almost half a Company, is protected both by thick layers of ceramite armour as well as crackling void shields. It also mounts a fearsome siege melta array, allowing it to breach even the most formidable defences with ease, as well as an array of secondary weaponry intended to defend the vehicle as it approaches its target. Unleashed only against the most fearsome of enemy redoubts, there are few obstacles that can stay the wrath of this relic of the Imperium’s bloody birth.

These Mastodon transports were on display at Warhammer World in the Battle of Signus Prime diorama.

The Mastodon is heavily armed and armoured, carrying 40 Space Marines, and even Dreadnoughts, safely to the heart of battle. Whilst embarked, the warriors within will defend their immense transport, turning the sponson weapons on any enemy brave or foolish enough to come close. It’s Siege melta array can easily destroy fortifications, and makes short work of armoured vehicles, whilst its Skyreaper Battery will tear through any airborne threat with ease.

Battle of Signus Prime

Mastodon Heavy Assault Transports lead the forces into battle.

The Battle of Signus Prime was a diorama at Warhammer World where the Blood Angels Legion are advancing towards the Cathedral of the Mark across the devastated landscape of Signus Prime.

More photographs of the Battle of Signus Prime.

Horus Heresy options

Classic tanks from the Forge World range return to the Horus Heresy at the Games Workshop webstore, upgraded with new plastic sponson sprues that make it easier than ever to add weapon variety to your armoured companies.

The various resin models, such as the Mastodon Heavy Assault Transport, will now come with the sponsons sprue that is available now with the plastic releases that we have seen.

There is an implication here that future Horus Heresy releases may now be resin models. Especially as the only preview we have seen over recent months has been the Vindicator.

Though that may also mean that the Legion models we have seen, will now be supplemented with plastic releases for other Horus Heresy forces, such as the Solar Auxilia.

Mastodon Heavy Assault Transport

This Mastodon was on display at Warhammer World. The photograph belies the size of this thing which is huge, almost twice the size of a Land Raider.

The Battle of Signus Prime

The Battle of Signus Prime was a diorama at Warhammer World where the Blood Angels Legion are advancing towards the Cathedral of the Mark across the devastated landscape of Signus Prime.

Mastodon Heavy Assault Transports lead the forces into battle.

It also mounts a fearsome siege melta array, allowing it to breach even the most formidable defences with ease, as well as an array of secondary weaponry intended to defend the vehicle as it approaches its target. Unleashed only against the most fearsome of enemy redoubts, there are few obstacles that can stay the wrath of this relic of the Imperium’s bloody birth.

Under the assault of the Chaos gods and their dominion, Signus Prime has been turned into a field of stinking mud and broken rocks.

Visibility was heavily reduced due to the slow relentless rain of sulphur and brimstone.

You can hear the cries of Daemons, nightmares given a corporeal form. Weapon platforms, such as the Legion Deimos Pattern Whirlwind Scorpius are made ready to launch death and destruction on the chaos forces.

An ancient variant of the more common Whirlwind missile tank, the Scorpius was designed with a single purpose in mind – the destruction of heavily armoured infantry. The Scorpius variant replaces the Whirlwind’s multiple missile launcher system with the intricate drum-fed scorpius launcher, whose implosive warheads are devastating to armoured infantry and light vehicles.

The roar of engines of thousands of vehicles is heavy in the air, the Blood Angels Legion anticipate victory. The skies are filled with the aircraft of the Blood Angels Legion.

Sacred Legion Javelin Attack Speeders are flanking the battlefield to take out the enemy.

Larger and more heavily armoured than the common pattern of Land Speeder, the Javelin Attack Speeder is a nigh-irreplaceable relic of a bygone age of technological mastery. Gravitic nullification plates, the secret of whose production and maintenance have long since been lost, allow the Javelin to mount an array of heavy weaponry more akin to a heavy tank destroyer than a nimble Land Speeder, allowing them to make pinpoint strikes on enemy armour or infantry with devastating lascannon or missile barrage.