Leviathan Dreadnought
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This article is about the Space Marine Dreadnought. For other uses of Leviathan, see Leviathan (disambiguation). |
The Leviathan pattern Siege Dreadnought was a large type of Space Marine Dreadnought used during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy by the Legiones Astartes.
Contents
Overview
Built in limited numbers during the latter days of the Crusade, the Leviathan was developed in secret on Terra without the knowledge of the Mechanicum. Its massive frame incorporates hybridised technologies, some dating back to the Dark Age of Technology. The resources to build these machines were nearly equal to that of a Knight. They were made available to the Legions only in limited quantities before the outbreak of the Horus Heresy and were highly valued and recognised as savagely powerful siege and hunter-killer units. The First Legion alone were able to field these machine’s in great numbers, as no other Legion held the resources nor the means to commit so many to action, but even then they were still used sparingly by the Dark Angels.[11] Many in the Mechanicum were deeply uneasy over the design, seeing it as purposed-designed to match and destroy the Mechanicum's own battle-automata in some future, unforeseen crisis or dispute.[2][6] Towering over later Imperial walker patterns, this heavily armoured dreadnought is savagely powerful[1] and powered by an potent Atomantic Arc Reactor.[2]
During the Horus Heresy, Loyalists with access to Terra were able to obtain new Leviathan Dreadnoughts, although never many, while Traitors and isolated forces were reduced to marshalling their few Leviathans carefully or hunting down relics of the dead from battlefields to be recommissioned.[6]
Those few Leviathan Dreadnoughts that survive into the 41st Millennium are ancient and terrible relics, rarely spoken of and rarely deployed, dreaded as much as they are revered by those Chapters that possess them. The tormented and ravaged minds of those interred within are driven to the edge of madness by the little-understood mechanisms unique to the Leviathan, trapped in dreams of the Heresy which haunt the machines themselves, and soon suffer a final dissolution owing to the terrible strain the Leviathan inflicts on those who would dare to master it. Only the full authority of a Chapter Master is sufficient to unleash these terrifying machines in war, as where they strike and what they kill is as often determined by their dark dreaming as it is the will of their commanders.[1a]
While the Leviathan is extremely rare today, some machines still remain in service. Most notable is Carab Culln, Chapter Master of the Red Scorpions.[4] Chaos Space Marines still use ancient Leviathan Dreadnoughts, which have since become Daemonically corrupted.[5]
Weapons and Equipment
The Leviathan Siege Dreadnought bristled with weaponry, including two arm mounts that could be equipped with a combination of[1]:
- Ranged weapons:
The Leviathan Dreadnought interning Carab Culln in M41 was instead equipped with twin-linked Assault Cannons.[7]
- Melee weapons:
Melee weapons would incorporate a meltagun.[1]
Its torso was equipped with a pair of Heavy Flamers or twin-linked Volkite Calivers. Additional weaponry could include up to three Hunter-Killer Missiles and/or a Phosphex Bomb discharger. Finally, it would typically be armed with frag and smoke grenades, as well as a spotlight.[1]
They were also equipped with reinforced Atomantic Shielding,[11][12] which was considered to be the most resilient Field augmented protection of any Dreadnought created during the Great Crusade, as well as having the most dangerously powerful on-board reactor to meet its needs.[12]
Notable Leviathan Dreadnoughts
- Carab Culln — Red Scorpions
- Jophial - Blood Angels
- Hrimthursar Arn Therod — Space Wolves, took part in the Burning of Prospero.[3]
- Krixxus — World Eaters[8]
- Prabaxus — Iron Hands[9]
Images
Word Bearers Leviathan Dreadnought
Night Lords Leviathan Dreadnought
Imperial Fists plastic leviathan for The Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness[6]
Carab Culln of the Red Scorpions as a Dreadnought[7]
Joytoy Sons of Horus Leviathan figure[10]
Related Articles
Sources
- 1: Forge World
- 2: The Horus Heresy Book Six, pg. 236
- 3: The Horus Heresy Book Seven, pg. 78
- 4: Forge World
- 5: Warhammer Community
- 6: Warhammer Community: Heresy Thursday – The Plastic Leviathan Siege Dreadnought Is a Walking Artillery Piece (posted 2/6/2022) (last accessed 2/6/2022)
- 7:Warhammer Community : Heroes of the Red Scorpions (01/12/17) (saved archive, last accessed 07/05/23)
- 8: The Horus Heresy: Legions - Shadow of the Warmaster: World Eaters Expansion Card Description
- 9: The Horus Heresy: Legions Dropsite Massacre Expansion
- 10: Joytoy Leviathan saved page, original link https://merch-usa.warhammer.com/products/joytoy-warhammer-the-horus-heresy-action-figure-sons-of-horus-leviathan-dreadnought-1-18-scale-preorder?shpxid=d21ca0dd-65cc-4222-a739-9ac41dfec328 (last accessed 11/8/2024)
- 11: Lion El'Jonson: Lord of the First (Novel) Chapter 10 Section I
- 12: The Horus Heresy Book Six - Retribution, pg.237
