Land Raider
From Lexicanum
| Land Raider | |
 | |
| Worlds of Production | Produced in small numbers by many Forge Worlds |
| Models | I-VII |
| Weight (unladen) | 72 tonnes |
| Weight (laden) | 81 tonnes |
| Length | 10.36m |
| Height | 4.11m |
| Hull Width | 6.1m |
| Ground Clearance | 0.45m |
| Max. Speed (road) | 51kph |
| Max. Speed (off-road) | 48kph |
| Max Fording Depth | 36.57m |
| Armour | 91-95mm |
| Armour construction | 2 layers of ceramite, 1 titanium/plasteel layer, 1 adamantium layer and 1 thermoplas layer, equivalent to 365mm conventional steel armour |
| Crew | 2-3 (commander, driver and gunner) |
The Land Raider is a heavy tank and transport used by the Space Marines and Chaos Space Marines. It is capable of operating in virtually any kind of planetary environment. Its hull fully isolates its occupants from the environment and provides life support functions, allowing operation on inhospitable and airless planets.
The Land Raider is designed to move at a good speed while still carrying heavy armaments as well as a number of warriors within its armoured hull. It is a Standard Template Construct vehicle, like many others in the armories of Imperial forces and has been modified several times since its rediscovery.
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History
Origins
The Land Raider has its origins in the Dark Age of Technology, when humankind expanded out of its home system. Its construction method was incorporated into the great STC system, allowing it to be built locally by colonists even if they lacked any great technical knowledge. With the widespread breakdown of human civilization during the Age of Strife, production of the vehicle ceased.
During the Great Crusade the Land Raider STC design was rediscovered, allowing their manufacture. These vehicles were incorporated into the arsenals of the Imperium's forces and used as heavy transports and line breakers as well as mobile command centres. When necessary they could be used as Titan-hunters.
The discoverer is commonly believed to be the Technomagos Arkhan Land who, at the very birth of the Imperium is said to have rediscovered the STC designs hidden beneath the surface of Mars.
When the Land Raider was first deployed by the Imperium is disputed. Some believe it to be as early as the start of the Great Crusade, during a great conflict that raged across the world of Calysto Platinum.
Initially the Land Raider was in wide use through the Imperium. The Anvilus 9 forge world became devoted entirely to the production of Land Raiders.
The Land Raider as well was used by both the Space Marine Legions and the Imperial Army. Throughout the Great Crusade, few worlds were not won without the support of the Land Raider.
At the outset of the Horus Heresy, Anvilus 9 was overrun by renegade tech-priests, halting the production of the Land Raider. Many other forge worlds chose to stay neutral and seceded from the Imperium during the Heresy. The few Land Raiders still being manufactured for the Imperium came from the forge worlds still loyal to the Emperor.
With the dark clouds of the rebellion drawing closer to Terra, the Emperor ordered that all Land Raiders still in loyalist service were to be transferred and used exclusively by the Legionnes Astartes, who were at the forefront of the fighting. The Emperor was never able to annul the order, consequently, even after the Heresy, the use of the Land Raider remained exclusive to the Space Marines.3
The Land Raider in the 41st millennium
Land Raiders are used by Space Marines as well as by their rebel counterparts, who have continued to employ the vehicle after their defeat and exile.
Since its rediscovery over ten thousand years ago, newly discovered STC information and modifications to the original design have produced different marks and variants. Most of these variants have been recognised by the Priesthood of Mars. Some of these are the Land Raider Crusader, Land Raider Helios, Land Raider Prometheus, Land Raider Ares, Land Raider Redeemer and Land Raider Terminus Ultra.
According to the organizational guidelines laid down by the Codex Astartes, the Land Raider is only used by the 1st Company of a Space Marine chapter. However, some less orthodox chapters are known to use it more widely. The Salamanders chapter uses an altered version of the Codex Astartes with 12 squads in the 1st company instead of 10, increasing the maximum number of Land Raiders available to 12.
Design
Armament
The Land Raider is armed with a hull-mounted twin-linked heavy bolter and two side sponsons each with twin-linked lascannons. It may also be fitted with a pintle mounted storm bolter. The lascannons are of the Godhammer Kz9.76 design, requiring replacement barrels after 2000 shots.
Armour
The armour of the Land Raider's hull is composed of bonded adamantium and ceramite, durable enough to shrug off all but the most potent weapons. Armour strength remains the same all-around.
Equipment
The Land Raider is equipped with automatic control systems known as a machine spirit, and can also be further equipped with dozer blades, extra armour, a hunter-killer missile, a searchlight, a multi melta and smoke launchers.
Transport capacity
The Land Raider has an impressive carrying capacity, either 12 Space Marines in Power Armour or 6 Terminators in Terminator Armour.
Fire points
The Land Raider is totally self contained and as such has no fire points.
Access points
Even for such a heavily armoured vehicle, there are still three entrances, two side doors and one special front assault ramp for disembarking troops straight into combat.
Crew
The Land Raider is crewed by two to three Space Marines (a commander, driver and gunner). The Land Raider's "power of the machine spirit," an autopilot system, allows it to fire and/or move on its own if the crew are somehow disabled.
Variants
- Land Raider Crusader
- Land Raider Redeemer
- Land Raider Terminus Ultra
- Land Raider Prometheus
- Land Raider Helios
- Land Raider Spartan
- Hellfire Land Raider
- Land Raider Ares
Chaos Land Raiders
The Land Raiders in the service of the Chaos Legions are ten thousand year old machines, the same Land Raiders the Legions took with them when they fled into the Eye of Terror following the defeat of their rebellion. The place of the machine spirit has been taken by a daemonic force, which assumes control of the movement of the vehicle in the event the crew are in some way disabled, as well as assisting in the operation of the weapon systems.4
Named Land Raiders
Images
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Sources
- 1:Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition)
- 2:Chapter Approved 2001
- 3:(oz.games-
workshop.com/games/40k/spacemarines/extras/landraiderhistory/default.htm) Games Workshop website's history of the land raider
| Rhino Chassis | Rhino • Damocles Command Rhino • Razorback • Vindicator • Whirlwind • Predator Annihilator • Predator Destructor • Baal Predator • Sabre Tank Hunter |
|---|---|
| Land Raider Chassis | Land Raider • Land Raider Crusader • Land Raider Redeemer • Land Raider Helios • Land Raider Prometheus • Land Raider Ares • Land Raider Terminus Ultra • Hellfire Land Raider • Land Raider Spartan |
| Dreadnought Chassis | Dreadnought • Furioso Pattern • Mortis Pattern • Ironclad Dreadnought • Siege Dreadnought • Venerable Dreadnought • Grey Knights Dreadnought |
| Land Speeder Chassis | Land Speeder • Land Speeder Tornado • Land Speeder Typhoon • Land Speeder Tempest • Land Speeder Storm |
- Various Apocalypse Datasheets
