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Ambiguous Term? This article is about Vindicator Tank. For other uses of Vindicator, see Vindicator (disambiguation).

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A Vindicator belonging to the Ultramarines.

The Vindicator is a short range siege tank used by Space Marine Chapters. Based upon the Rhino chassis, it shares many of the same design features, though with equipment and armament optimized for short-range combat.

History

The origin of the Vindicator is fragmentary, although the earliest records show it was developed along with the other Rhino STC variants during the Dark Age of Technology.¹ Other records show that the Vindicator was first fielded during the early years of the Horus Heresy on Rostern I, when massive Thunderer Cannons were mounted onto remodeled Rhinos and used to blast heavily dug-in Traitor positions among the urban rubble.² Since then, the bulky Thunderer Cannon has been replaced with the more compact, but no less potent, Demolisher Cannon, along with other minor modifications to armouring, fire control and driving systems.¹ The Vindicator has become a vital part of a Chapter's siege and urban combat capabilities, with most retaining a dozen or so vehicles within their Armoury.²

Vindicators were used extensively by rebel Legions during the Horus Heresy during the Siege of the Imperial Palace, and have remained in service since then; the Iron Warriors in particular field many squadrons of Vindicators.³

Tactical Use

As laid down by the Codex Astartes, the Vindicator's chief role is in urban combat, to provide assault and tactical squads with destructive firepower against enemy strongpoints and snipers.¹ Standard combat doctrine has the Vindicator advance down a street towards the target structure, supported by Space Marine squads advancing from building to building on either side of it, blasting holes in the walls if necessary.¹ Once in position, the Vindicator opens fire on the target building, reducing much of it to rubble and opening the way for subsequent assault by Space Marines with close-combat weaponry.¹

Outside of urban combat, the Vindicator also sees a limited role in tank warfare, with many armoured thrusts containing at least one Vindicator for close-quarter engagements.² For particularly hardened targets, Vindicators will form into Line Breaker Squadrons, combining their firepower for impressive effects.

Technical Information

Armament

The Demolisher Cannon gives the Vindicator immense destructive capabilities. Firing rocket-assisted siege shells, the Demolisher Cannon can reduce a building to rubble in a matter of moments, crushing the enemies taking shelter in it under tonnes of rubble.² The cannon's two exhaust vents for vacating rocket back-blast are located just behind its targeting array.¹ The Rhino chassis' transport capacity is given over completely to ammunition storage, of which it can carry 16 shells in its racks. That number is normally increased by two, with one shell preloaded and a second stored on the collapsible loading ramp.¹ The Vindicator is also armed with a Storm Bolter for anti-infantry firepower.²

Armour

In order to survive the brutal close-combat fighting typical of urban warfare, Vindicators have much thicker armour compared to the standard Rhino, especially along its front and top facings.¹ This armour is further supported by extra bracing, which adds additional weight to the frame.¹

Equipment

Dozer Blades, in combination with a Siege Shield are typical on most Vindicator, allowing it to easily clear a path through rubble-strewn streets. Other standard equipment includes a Searchlight and Smoke Launchers. It can be further upgraded with a Hunter-killer Missile, Extra Armour, and a pintle-mounted Storm Bolter.

Specifications

Technical Specifications

Vehicle Name:	Vindicator1	Main Armament:	Demolisher Cannon
Forge World of Origin:	Lucius	Secondary Armament:	N/A
Known Patterns:	II-XXVI	Traverse:	2°
Crew:	Driver, Gunner	Elevation:	From -0° to +45°
Powerplant:	Quad MkII Adaptable Thermic Combustor Reactor	Main Ammunition:	18 rounds
Weight:	42.0 tonnes	Secondary Ammunition:	N/A
Length:	7.5m	Armour
Width:	4.5m
Height:	3.6m	Superstructure:	65mm
Ground Clearance:	0.44m	Hull:	65mm
Max Speed - on road	64kph	Gun Mantlet	55mm
Max Speed - off road:	48kph	Vehicle Designation:	0120-766-0833-VI054
Tranport Capacity:	N/A	Firing Ports:	N/A
Access Points:	N/A	Turret:	N/A

Images

• 

  A Vindicator

• 

  Chaos Space Marine Vindicator⁴

Related Articles

• Space Marine Vehicles (List)

Sources

• ¹:Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition, p. 67-68
• ²:Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), p. 80
• ³:Codex: Chaos Space Marines (4th Edition), p. 43
• ⁴:Chaos Vindicator
• Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition)
• Codex Titanicus, p. 23