Heavy Quad-Launcher
Heavy Quad-Launchers, also known as Thudd Guns, are four-barreled light field artillery pieces originally produced by the Squats.[1]
Contents
Overview
Invented by the Engineers Guilds on the Squat Homeworlds, the design was later shared with the Adeptus Mechanicus, who copied and produced their own version for use by the Imperial Guard. The weapon received its nickname from the distinctive and rhythmic "thud" sound produced as each barrel fires in rapid succession.[1] More commonly used by the Imperial Guard in the past, the heavy quad-launcher has been largely relegated to Siege Regiments and garrison forces.[2][3] The weapon was employed by Space Marines during the Horus Heresy in defense of the Imperial Palace and has seen recent use in the Badab War as well as the Tyrannic Wars.[4]
Essentially four Mortars mounted on a single weapons carriage, the Heavy Quad-Launcher boasts a high rate of fire that makes it an excellent suppression weapon and in a direct-fire role against enemy infantry.[2][3] One of its primary drawbacks however is the long reload time after all four barrels have been fired, requiring the loader to hand-crank the breech close in order to feed in a new round for each barrel. The launcher also lacks the range of heavier Imperial Guard artillery, limiting its viability in the counter-battery role.[2]
The original thudd guns were mounted on a special motorized tractor, which could be controlled by the gun crew with a radio control box.[1] However, later models used by the Imperial Guard, such as the Lucius Pattern, must be towed into place, either by a Trojan or Centaur vehicle.[2][3]
| Vehicle Name: | Quad Launcher[2] | Main Armament: | 4 x Mortars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | Lucius | Secondary Armament: | N/A |
| Known Patterns: | II-IX | Traverse: | 0° |
| Crew: | 4 x Gunners | Elevation: | From +10° to +42° |
| Powerplant: | N/A | Main Ammunition: | N/A |
| Weight: | 3.8 tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | N/A |
| Length: | 4.6m | ||
| Width: | 2.3m | Armour | |
| Height: | 2.2m | ||
| Ground Clearance: | 0.44m | Superstructure: | N/A |
| Fording Depth: | {{{Fording Depth}}} | Hull: | N/A |
| Max Speed - on road | N/A | Gun Mantlet | 30mm |
| Max Speed - off road: | N/A | Vehicle Designation: | 2312-673-7609-HQL3 |
| Transport Capacity: | N/A | Firing Ports: | N/A |
| Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | N/A |
Images
Known Patterns
Sources
- 1: Warhammer 40,000: Wargear (2nd Edition), pg. 54
- 2: Imperial Armour Volume Five - The Siege of Vraks - Part One, pg. 112
- 3: Imperial Armour - Apocalypse II, pg. 20
- 4: Warhammer 40,000: Compendium, pg. 92
- 5: Forge World Imperial Quad Launcher Thudd Gun (last accessed 04 February 2016)
- 6: White Dwarf 101 (UK), pg. 2
