Whirlwind
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The Whirlwind Artillery Tank is a Rhino-based multiple rocket launcher. One of the few indirect-fire vehicles fielded by the Space Marines besides the Land Raider Helios, the Whirlwind provides accurate fire support for the suppression of numerous or highly-mobile enemies.[2] It can also be used as an air defense system.[3a]
Contents
Whirlwind Helios
Based upon the Rhino chassis, the Whirlwind is both fast and mobile, able to keep up with a Space Marine battlegroup. Because the number of Whirlwinds available to a Chapter is limited (typically between twenty and thirty for most), the ability to engage the enemy and rapidly change positions to avoid counter-battery is prized more than masses of long-ranged, slower artillery commonly used by the Imperial Guard.[3a] Its target acquisition and telemetry gear also allows the Whirlwind to engage the enemy from behind cover with far better accuracy than conventional artillery.[2] The Whirlwind can also be converted into an anti-aircraft vehicle when issued with short-ranged AA missiles, although this task is better suited to specialised variants such as the Hyperios.[3a]
The most common type of Whirlwind is the 'Helios' pattern, though differences between most Whirlwinds is simply a matter of how many missiles can be fired. When fully loaded, the Helios' missile launcher carries six missiles. However, because these missiles can only be manually reloaded, the Whirlwind must withdraw after firing in order to rearm. In spite of this, the transport capacity inherited from the Rhino allows for a large ammunition stockpile, and some Chapters equip each vehicle with a Servitor dedicated to speeding up the reload time.[3a]
The main missile types included the Vengeance pattern hight explosive warheads, that balances size, weight, range and payload providing the Space Marines with the most effective form of artillery support. Another one main type - is a Castellan incendary warheads that sacrifices explosive power for the ability to engulf the target in a rain of searing flame. For some period of time Space Marines also used the missile type that provide a scuttering fire of sub-munitions across the broad target zone - the result of some newly discovered STC imprint. But this variant saw only the limited usem because it is was unsuitable to Marine's aggressive style of combat.[7a]
It is condifered also that other missyle types exist or have existed in the past and passed out from common employment. Other types mentioned in the archives unclude super krak and plasma warheads, missiles with gas of various type, anti-plant, tanglefoot and haywire warheads and even rare vortex warheads. But in 41th Millenium such types if even still exist, reside only in Deathwatch quantium-sealed stasis batteries or in other even more secretive organizations of Imperium.[7a]
When required to provide indirect fire support against massed targets over long ranges, Whirlwinds will also form into Suppression Forces, with a Land Speeder modified to function as an artillery spotter.[7a]
Equipment
In addition to its primary weapon, the Whirlwind also comes with a Searchlight and Smoke Launchers as standard. It can be upgraded with Dozer Blades, Extra Armour, a Hunter-killer Missile, and a Storm Bolter.[2]
Technical Information
| Vehicle Name: | Whirlwind Helios[3a] | Main Armament: | Whirlwind multiple missile launcher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | Helios | Secondary Armament: | N/A |
| Known Patterns: | I-V | Traverse: | 360° |
| Crew: | Driver, Gunner | Elevation: | From -0° to +55° |
| Powerplant: | Quad MkII Adaptable Thermic Combustor Reactor | Main Ammunition: | 60 missiles |
| Weight: | 33.0 tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | N/A |
| Length: | 6.6m | ||
| Width: | 4.5m | Armour | |
| Height: | 5.0m | ||
| Ground Clearance: | 0.44m | Superstructure: | 60mm |
| Fording Depth: | {{{Fording Depth}}} | Hull: | 60mm |
| Max Speed - on road | 68kph | Gun Mantlet | N/A |
| Max Speed - off road: | 50kph | Vehicle Designation: | 0120-766-0810-WW033 |
| Transport Capacity: | N/A | Firing Ports: | N/A |
| Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | 30mm |
Whirlwind Hyperios
The Whirlwind Hyperios is a specialized version of the standard Whirlwind used by many Chapters as an anti-aircraft vehicle. Instead of the typical armament of other Whirlwinds, the Hyperios mounts a specialized missile launcher, along with automated tracking and targeting equipment, dedicated to shooting down enemy aircraft. While it does not have the same reach as a Manticore AA missile it is highly efficient against low-flying craft making strafing runs. In a pinch the Hyperios can be used to target ground units, in which case its missiles act similar to Hunter-killer missiles, though this is a method of last resort.[3a]
During the Moirae Schism all of the Whirlwing Hyperios' produced on the Moirae Forge World were desecrated by Tech-Priests, which insunated into the vehicles hidden cipher that blocked Whirlwind's system upon receiving the relevant code. Due to this even after the ending of the Schism many of the Space Marines Chapters refuse to deploy Whirlwind Hyperios' in battle, fearing that this battle machines can betray them in the heat of fighting.[7b]
Technical Specifications
| Vehicle Name: | Whirlwind Hyperios[3a] | Main Armament: | Hyperios missile launcher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | Phaeton | Secondary Armament: | N/A |
| Known Patterns: | I-IV | Traverse: | 360° |
| Crew: | Driver, Gunner | Elevation: | From -0° to +65° |
| Powerplant: | Quad MkII Adaptable Thermic Combustor Reactor | Main Ammunition: | 40 missiles |
| Weight: | 33.0 tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | N/A |
| Length: | 6.6m | ||
| Width: | 4.5m | Armour | |
| Height: | 5.2m | ||
| Ground Clearance: | 0.44m | Superstructure: | 60mm |
| Fording Depth: | {{{Fording Depth}}} | Hull: | 60mm |
| Max Speed - on road | 68kph | Gun Mantlet | N/A |
| Max Speed - off road: | 50kph | Vehicle Designation: | 0120-766-0810-WW161 |
| Transport Capacity: | N/A | Firing Ports: | N/A |
| Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | 30mm |
Named Whirlwind Hyperios
- Ferrus Annihilatus - of the War Bearers Chapter[3b]
Whirlwind Scorpius
An ancient variant of the more common Whirlwind, the Scorpius was built on a Deimos Pattern Rhino chassis. The Whirlwind Scorpius' origins go back to the dark days of the Great Crusade, where it was created at the behest of the Space Wolves to aid in the campaign against the fortified cities of the Xenos Ghassulian.[6] Today it has become an all but forgotten relic. The ability to manufacture its complex munitions has become a forgotten art, but for the Chapters up to the task it still remains a potent weapon of war.[5]
The Scorpius replaces the Whirlwind Multiple Missile Launcher which drum-fed Scorpius Launchers, whose warheads cause implosions devastating to both infantry and light vehicles.[5]
Named Whirlwind Scorpius
- Encarmine - of the Red Scorpions Chapter
Other Known Patterns
- Thalia pattern - ancient pattern with 12 smaller missiles[7a]
- MkII Mars Pattern - holds ten missiles in twin clusters of five[7a]
Images
Related Articles
Sources
- 1: Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition), [Needs Citation]
- 2: Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pgs. 79, 143
- 3: Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition
- 4: Games Workshop (last accessed 23 May 2015)
- 5: Forge World (last accessed 19 April 2016)
- 6: The Horus Heresy Book Two - Massacre pg.202
- 7: Imperial Armour Volume Two - Second Edition: War Machines of the Adeptus Astartes
