Shadowsword
The Shadowsword is an Imperial Guard titan-hunter super-heavy vehicle. It is designed on the same technology as the Baneblade with the exception of its armament; a Volcano Cannon. Much of the tank is taken up with the internal capacitors required to fire the weapon and is also equipped with advanced logic engines and targeting systems to make each shot count. Each shot is sufficiently powerful to shear off a Titan's arm or leg but requires a good deal of time to recharge. Because the Shadowsword can do such a damaging blast, it is only produced on Forge Worlds where Titans are built. Each super-heavy tank is sent to an armored regiment where fighting enemy Titans is a large possibility.
For defence, the Shadowsword has the sponson armament of Twin-linked Heavy Bolters/Heavy Flamers as well as two Lascannons. In addition to this, many crews install pintle-mounted Storm Bolter/ Heavy Stubber, an extra Twin-linked Heavy Bolter and/or hunter-killer missile. Finally, all Shadowswords are equipped with Smoke Launchers to increase survivability, and with a Searchlight for night-fighting.4
Several Swadowswords are known to swap the sponson weaponry for improved side armour. On others, the sponson Lascannons are replaced with targeters to ensure that Volcano Cannon shots will not go to waste. Finally, some Swadowswords maximise firepower with 2 extra sponsons (4 in total).4
The Shadowsword's capacitors take energy directly from the main engine. An overseeing Enginseer must disconnect the main engine and connect a generator in its place. A single shot will drain the capacitors of all energy and can only be fired when the vehicle is stationary and the main engine is disengaged.
It has difficulty operating alone due to the slow rate of fire for its primary weapon, and as such is usually deployed with lighter vehicles for defence. These other vehicles can also be used in an assault on a Titan, for example drawing off fire and draining the Titan's void shields before the Shadowsword delivers the killing blow.
Like the Baneblade, a "true" Shadowsword will have its own number and name and all of its deeds shall be recorded on Mars.
Shadowsword
| Vehicle Name: | Shadowsword2 | Main Armament: | Volcano Cannon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | Mars, Lucius, Estaban VII, Triplex Phall | Secondary Armament: | 4 Heavy Bolters |
| Known Patterns: | I-VII | Traverse: | 2 degrees |
| Crew: | Commander, Driver, Main Gunner, Remote Gunner, Comms-Operator, Engineer | Elevation: | From -2 to 12degrees |
| Powerplant: | M507 V18 Multi Fuel | Main Ammunition: | Unlimited |
| Weight: | 316 tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | 1600 rounds |
| Length: | 13.5m | Armour | |
| Width: | 8.4m | ||
| Height: | 6.3m | Superstructure: | 220mm |
| Ground Clearance: | 1.2m | Hull: | 210mm |
| Max Speed - on road | 25kph | Gun Mantlet | 200mm |
| Max Speed - off road: | 18kph | Vehicle Designation: | 0427-658-0212-SS120 |
| Tranport Capacity: | None | Firing Ports: | n/a |
| Access Points: | n/a | Turret: | N/A |
Known Shadowswords
- Creed's Vengeance - Cadian 12th
- Duty's Honour - Palladius 53rd Regiment
- Alpha Three - Morian 3rd Heavy Tank Company
- Castigatus - 8th Pardus Armoured Regiment1
- The Iron Saint3
- Angel of the Apocalypse - Command tank of Cadian 81st Armored Regiment. Destroyed on Golgotha by Ork Bombers5
Miniatures
Warhammer 40,000
Epic
Sources
- 1: Honour Guard (Novel) - Gaunt's Ghosts: The Saint (Omnibus) by Dan Abnett, [Needs Citation], p. 57
- 2: Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy, p 91, 92
- 3: White Dwarf 352 (AU/NZ)
- 4: White Dwarf 351 (AU/NZ) pp. 28-29
- 5: Gunheads (Novel) by Steve Parker: Chapter Twenty
- 6: Imperial Armour - Apocalypse
| Leman Russ Chassis | Leman Russ Battle Tank • Leman Russ Demolisher • Leman Russ Annihilator • Leman Russ Conqueror • Leman Russ Exterminator • Leman Russ Executioner • Leman Russ Punisher • Leman Russ Vanquisher • Destroyer Tank Hunter • Thunderer • Bombard • Atlas |
|---|---|
| Chimera Chassis | Chimera • Basilisk • Colossus • Griffon • Hellhound • Hydra Flak Tank • Manticore • Medusa Siege Tank • Salamander Command • Salamander Scout • Trojan |
| Other | Sentinel • Cyclops • Siegfried • Bruennhilde• Centaur |
| Heavy Tanks | Macharius • Malcador |
| Super Heavy Tanks | Baneblade • Hellhammer • Stormblade • Shadowsword • Stormsword • Stormhammer • Stormlord • Banesword • Gorgon Armoured Assault Transport • Crassus Armoured Transport • Praetor Armoured Assault Launcher |