Centaur
The Centaur is a lightly-armored utility vehicle used by forces of the Imperium of Man. This includes Imperial Guard formations such as the Death Korps of Krieg[1] and the Adeptus Mechanicus' Legiones Skitarii.[5] While Centaurs are most commonly used as a tow vehicle for field artillery, they can also be adapted for various other functions.[1]
Contents
Tactical Role
Centaurs are typically used to tow field artillery pieces, such as Heavy Quad-Launchers and Heavy Mortars, and provide transport for the weapon's crew; while they have limited armouring they are not intended to be front-line combat vehicles. However Centaurs are also provided to Grenadiers as a means of fast battlefield transport. These vehicles are frequently modified with Extra Armour, especially around the driver and passenger compartments, for protection against shrapnel and other battlefield hazards and fitted with a spiked-ram for breaking through razorwire obstacles. Centaurs can also be adapted into command squad transports, communication vehicles, minesweepers and other functions.[1]
Technical Overview
The most prominent feature of the Centaur are its twin engines, mounted in its track sponsons, and a very large power pack for a vehicle of its size. While useful for pulling heavy loads such as supply trailers and weapons, when operating on its own these provide the vehicle with very high top speeds, both on- and off-road. The extra speed is used more than anything else to protect the Centaur and its crew from enemy fire.[1]
Five passengers can be crammed aboard the Centaur and a driver is required to operate the vehicle. A secondary gunner position is fulfilled by either a dedicated crewman or one of the passengers to man the pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, which can also be dismounted to give disembarking infantry extra fire support. A second empty weapon mount, positioned in the forward hull next to the driver, allows a squad in transit to attach their special or heavy weapon and provide additional firepower, a useful feature for command or grenadier squads using the Centaur for transportation.[1]
Centaurs can be modified with Camo Netting, Extra Armour, a Mine Sweeper, a Rough Terrain Modification, a Searchlight, Track Guards and Smoke Launchers.[1]
Technical Specifications[1]
| Vehicle Name: | Centaur | Main Armament: | Heavy Stubber |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | Vanaheim | Secondary Armament: | N/A |
| Known Patterns: | II-XIV | Traverse: | 160° |
| Crew: | Driver, Gunner | Elevation: | From -22° to +45° |
| Powerplant: | Vulcanor 8 Twin-Coupled Multi-Fuel | Main Ammunition: | 300 rounds |
| Weight: | 6.2 Tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | N/A |
| Length: | 4.1m | ||
| Width: | 3m | Armour | |
| Height: | 2.3m | ||
| Ground Clearance: | .4m | Superstructure: | 80mm |
| Fording Depth: | Hull: | 50mm | |
| Max Speed - on road | 110kph | Gun Mantlet | N/A |
| Max Speed - off road: | 70kph | Vehicle Designation: | 5657-436-0671-CN71 |
| Transport Capacity: | 5 | Firing Ports: | N/A |
| Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | N/A |
Known Variants
Fire Support Centaur
Intended to replace the heavier and larger Chimera amongst Stormtroopers and Drop Regiments, this version is fully enclosed and environmentally sealed, and sports a super-charged engine for increased speed and manoeuvrability compared to a Chimera. It is equipped with a hull mounted heavy stubber, and a pintle mounted short barrelled Autocannon above the troop compartment.[2]
Two of these vehicles can be transported inside a Spectre-class Valkyrie heavy carrier.[2]
Regiments known to include Centaurs
Images
Trivia
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The name Centaur was shared with a four-wheeled armored vehicle also in service with the Imperial Guard. Based on the Chimera chassis but equipped with a more powerful Leman Russ engine and no troop compartment, the Centaur was meant to be a fast reconnaissance vehicle.[3] It was later renamed as the Pegasus Armoured Fighting Vehicle to avoid confusion.[4]
Sources
- 1: Imperial Armour Volume Five - The Siege of Vraks - Part One, pgs 109-110
- 1a: pg. 86
- 2: Redemption Corps (Novel), Chapter 4 Part III
- 3: The Citadel Journal 15, pg. 11
- 4: White Dwarf 270 (UK), pg. 42
- 5: Traitor Rock (Novel), Part 1 - Chapter 4
- 6: Imperial Armour Volume One - Second Edition: Imperial Guard, pg. 75
- 6a: pg. 57
- 7: Forge World Centaur (last accessed 30 May 2015)
