Heavy Quad-Launchers, also known as Thudd Guns, are four-barreled light field artillery pieces originally produced by the Squats.[1]
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 defence 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: | 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 |
Known Patterns
Lucius Pattern
The Lucius pattern[2] is a basic breach-loading design that has to towed to and from the battlefield. It is used by many siege regiments.[8]
Hadd-Pattern
The Hadd-Pattern is used by the Adeptus Mechanicus. It is more sophisticated than the Lucius Pattern, having its own remote-controlled motive system and four squat gravity-fed magazines. These allow the Hadd-Pattern Thud Gun to fire continuously for up to minute without the need for reloading.[8]
The Hadd-Pattern Thudd Gun was inspired by the reintroduction of the Het-Patttern Rapier, motivating tech-priests of the Aurora Novas sect to research and produce other Great Crusade-era artillery guns. Of these new designs, the Hadd-Pattern Thudd Gun was the first, with a number of Guard Commanders, Rogue Traders and even a few Inquisitors taking note.[8]
Images
A Squat Thudd Gun mounted on a tractor unit[6]
Heavy Quad Launcher by Forge World[5]
A Squat Thudd Gun
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
- 7: Warhammer Community: World Championships Preview – The Death Korps mobilise for all-out war (Posted 22/11/2024) archived page, original link: https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-us/articles/csbikvdh/world-championships-preview-the-death-korps-mobilise-for-all-out-war/ (Posted 22/11/2024)
- 8: Dark Heresy: The Lathe Worlds, The Lost Dataslate, pg. 8
