Malcador (Heavy Tank)
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This article is about the Super-Heavy Tank; for the Regent of Terra, see Malcador (Character). |
The Malcador is an ancient design still in use by the Imperial Guard. Thought to be older than the venerable Leman Russ, the Malcador is intended to fulfill the same Main Battle Tank role despite its larger size. The tank is commonly thought to be named after Malcador the Sigillite, known to have been a close adviser to the Emperor and for creating the Administratum. Just like its namesake the Malacor's origins are obscure, and its usage across the Imperium is infrequent and rare, with some regions having never seen or heard of the tank.[1]
History
The Malcador dates back to the early years of the Imperium, although exactly when is a matter of mystery even to the Adeptus Mechanicus. Due to its name it is thought the Malcador was introduced just after the Horus Heresy, a dark time of uncertainty when the Imperium was desperate for new war machines. With much knowledge and production capacity lost, along with designs such as the Land Raider now reserved for an elite few, the Malcador may have been put into mass-production in an attempt to fill the void left by the apocalyptic fighting. Whatever the case may be, by the time of the 41st Millennium the Malcador has in many areas been entirely phased out of service. While a few Imperial Guard regiments continue using the Malcador out of a sense of tradition, in most cases the large part of existing tanks are either held in strategic reserves or relegated to 'second line' forces such as PDFs. As well very few Forge Worlds continue to produce Malcadors or replacement parts for them, though a few exceptions exist, most notably M'Khand Secundus in the Segmentum Pacificus.[1]
- Canon Conflict - According to The Horus Heresy Book One - Betrayal heavy tank Malcador was dating back to the period of the Age of Strife on Terra and during the early days of Great Crusade, there were thousands of these tanks rolled off the production lines of Forge Worlds of Mars and Voss [3].
Technical Information
Somewhat larger and heavier than the more familiar and versatile Leman Russ, the Malcador's bulk and heavy layers of armour plating gives it improved durability. Its main armament is the venerable Battle Cannon while secondary fire comes from a hull-mounted Heavy Bolter and sponson-mounted Heavy Stubbers; in some tanks these weapons are replaced with Autocannons and Lascannons for additional firepower.[1] The tank and its variants also mount a Searchlight and can carry a pintle-mounted Storm Bolter or Heavy Stubber and/or a single Hunter-Killer Missile.[2a]
While well-armed and durable the tank does suffer from several limitations. One is the fact that its primary weapon is mounted in a limited-traverse turret embrasure, while the hull's shape and armouring further limits the firing arcs of its other weapons. This flaw can prove a liability on the chaotic battlefield, though an experienced commander can overcome it by supporting the tank with other combat elements. More damning to the design is its engine plant, a thermic combustor design more commonly used in agricultural and industrial machinery. While perfectly serviceable in its normal roles the engine is underpowered in relation to the Malcador's size and weight and can be more easily knocked out by enemy fire. This poor engine performance and very pour fuel efficiency has been more responsible than any other factor for the tank's demise in status.[1]
| Vehicle Name: | Malcador | Main Armament: | Battle Cannon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | M'khand | Secondary Armament: | 3 x Heavy Bolters |
| Known Patterns: | I-XIII | Traverse: | 60° |
| Crew: | Commander, Driver, 4 x Gunners, Loader | Elevation: | From -2° to 20° |
| Powerplant: | HL330 V12 Multi-Fuel | Main Ammunition: | 32rounds |
| Weight: | 105 tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | 7,500 rounds |
| Length: | 9.6m | ||
| Width: | 4.4m | Armour | |
| Height: | 3.9m | ||
| Ground Clearance: | 0.65m | Superstructure: | 180mm |
| Fording Depth: | {{{Fording Depth}}} | Hull: | 160mm |
| Max Speed - on road | 25kph | Gun Mantlet | N/A |
| Max Speed - off road: | 18kph | Vehicle Designation: | 8677-032-8391-ML021 |
| Transport Capacity: | None | Firing Ports: | N/A |
| Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | N/A |
Variants
As with the Leman Russ many variants of the Malcador have been produced over the design's lifetime, usually to fulfill a specific task or try and overcome a flaw, though problems with the engine is something that has plagued all versions of the tank.[1]
Malcador 'Annihilator'
The Malcador 'Annihilator' is thought to be a field refit of battle-damaged or incomplete Malcadors, replacing the Battle Cannon with twin-linked Lascannons and the hull-mounted Heavy Bolter with a Demolisher Cannon. While this attempt to increase the Malcador's versatility by allowing it to perform in an anti-tank role against both regular and Super-Heavy Tanks is admirable, it remains too large and too slow to be a true "tank hunter" and lacks the durability or endurance to challenge true heavyweights like the Baneblade in open battle. When operating as part of a wider offensive though the Malcador 'Annihilator' can still prove its worth in the hands of a skilled crew.[1][2b]
| Vehicle Name: | Malcador Annihilator | Main Armament: | Twin-linked Lascannons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | M'khand | Secondary Armament: | Heavy Bolter
2 x Heavy Flamers |
| Known Patterns: | I-VII | Traverse: | 60° |
| Crew: | Commander, Driver, 4 x Gunners, Loader | Elevation: | From -2° to +20° |
| Powerplant: | HL330 V12 Multi-Fuel | Main Ammunition: | Unlimited |
| Weight: | 99tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | 2,500 rounds |
| Length: | 9.6m | ||
| Width: | 4.4m | Armour | |
| Height: | 3.9m | ||
| Ground Clearance: | 0.65m | Superstructure: | 180mm |
| Fording Depth: | {{{Fording Depth}}} | Hull: | 160mm |
| Max Speed - on road | 25kph | Gun Mantlet | N/A |
| Max Speed - off road: | 18kph | Vehicle Designation: | 8677-032-8391-ML028 |
| Transport Capacity: | None | Firing Ports: | N/A |
| Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | N/A |
Malcador 'Defender'
The Malcador 'Defender' is one of the most unusual, and arguably effective, of the Malcador variants and is more common than the original design. Its limited-traverse turret embrasure has been entirely refitted with five Heavy Bolters providing complete 360° coverage around the tank, while the Demolisher Cannon and sponson weapons are maintained. Transforming its role into that of a breakthrough tank, the Malcador 'Defender' is a mobile fortress well-suited to close-quarters combat during urban and trench warfare, with the Demolisher used against enemy strongpoints and fortifications. The additional weaponry does require a larger crew, with eight troopers crammed into the tight, sweltering hull, and forces the commander to double as a heavy bolter gunner. That the tank seldom operates far from resupply or support helps mitigates some of the original design's failings.[1][2c]
| Vehicle Name: | Malcador Defender | Main Armament: | Demolisher Cannon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | M'khand | Secondary Armament: | 5 x Heavy Bolters
2 x Lascannons |
| Known Patterns: | I-IX | Traverse: | 5° |
| Crew: | Commander, Driver, 4 Gunners, Loader | Elevation: | From 0° to +46° |
| Powerplant: | HL330 V12 Multi-Fuel | Main Ammunition: | 18 rounds |
| Weight: | 105tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | 7,500 rounds |
| Length: | 9.6m | ||
| Width: | 4.4m | Armour | |
| Height: | 3.9m | ||
| Ground Clearance: | 0.65m | Superstructure: | 180mm |
| Fording Depth: | {{{Fording Depth}}} | Hull: | 160mm |
| Max Speed - on road | 25kph | Gun Mantlet | N/A |
| Max Speed - off road: | 18kph | Vehicle Designation: | 8677-032-8391-ML036 |
| Transport Capacity: | None | Firing Ports: | N/A |
| Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | N/A |
Malcador 'Infernus'
The Malcador 'Infernus' is a flamethrower tank, though its role has been largely supplanted by the faster and more reliable Hellhound. The tank mounts the massive Inferno Gun in its hull and tows a large fuel trailer behind it, where the promethium is stored as separate chemicals before being mixed together in a chamber just behind the gun's barrel. The resulting chemical 'jelly' jets out and sticks to any surface, burning with intense heat. While powerfully effective against enemy infantry, this huge flamer is also an effective mine-clearing device, using the sudden heat to detonate the explosives' fuses. When carrying large amount of flammable fuel though the trailer does make a tempting target to the enemy and can result in a fiery explosion. Some tanks will use corrosive chemicals as their ammunition instead of promethium, turning themselves into deadly toxic sprayers.[2d]
Besides its Infero Gun the Malcador 'Infernus' also mounts two sponson Heavy Stubbers, which can be replaced with Heavy Bolters, Heavy Flamers, Autocannons and Lascannons, along with a Searchlight and Smoke Launchers. Some will also carry a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber and/or a single Hunter-Killer Missile.[2d]
Sources
- 1: Imperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks - Part Two, p. 150-151
- 2: Imperial Armour - Apocalypse Second Edition
- 3: The Horus Heresy Book One - Betrayal, pg. 230
