Tank Commander
|
Knight Commander redirects here. For the Questor rank, see Baron. |
Tank Commanders are Imperial Guard officers who lead formations of Battle Tanks.[1]
Overview
A Tank Commander rides to battle in the cupola of a mighty Leman Russ battle tank. They typically lead a squadron of Leman Russ tanks. These grizzled guardsmen are virtually one with their machine, possessing an implicit knowledge of armoured warfare in all its forms. Granted their pick of the armoured fighting vehicles available to their regiment, they are further entitled to pick their crew from the finest veterans. The average Tank Commander is therefore a steely eyed ace, heading up a crew of the very best their regiment has to offer.[1] These veteran armour commanders will often be assigned temporary leadership of infantry or artillery assets.[1]
Customarily, the HQ tank in a Tank Company will be fitted with a Command Cupola for the Tank Commander, installed with specialist equipment such as comm-link scramblers, tactical cogitators, and uplink modules to connect with other officers in the field. These HQ tanks serve as the nerve center for an entire company, and allowing the Tank Commander to coordinate its actions even when the company is widely dispersed. While in a Command Cupola, he is able to direct the fire of up to nine other vehicles equipped with either Battle Cannons, Earthshakers, Heavy Mortars or Demolisher cannons, calling in the coordinates over comm-link and allowing them to elevate their guns to fire indirectly over intervening terrain at any target the Tank Commander himself can see. In the event of an emergency, a Tank Commander is prepared to take over the position of a driver or a gunner in a vehicle in case they are slain, though they will be unable to coordinate the actions of company vehicles while doing so.[7] While positioned in a Command Cupola on a Baneblade, the Tank Commander is able to accurately direct the fire of all the Baneblade's weapons and their gunners.[6]
Notable Imperial Guard Tank Commanders
- Astrov Yemenev — Vostroyan 24th ‘Iron Bloods’ Armoured Regiment.[4a]
- Dragor - Moebian 53rd officer fighting on the frontlines in Hive Tertium.
- Dymetrin
- Kabe
- Kastock — Commands the Leman Russ Battle Tank, Kasr's Vengeance, defending the Imperium world Calder's Reach.[3]
- Maximillian Weisemann
- Pask
- Pysell Roderrik — Currently leading his Cadian armoured battle group in battle against Necrons.[4b]
- Silas Ovik
- Tulathan — Vastadt 4th Independent Tank Regiment[2]
- Hadeya Etsul
Images
A Tank Commander in his Command Cupola. Evidently from the Baal System, possibly from either "Baal IV" as a planet, or a regiment with the designation of IV from Baal.[6]
See also
Sources
- 1: Codex: Astra Militarum (6th Edition) — Tank Commanders
- 2: Imperial Armour - Imperial Vehicles for Warhammer 40,000, pg. 27
- 3: Warhammer: Visions 23 — Leman Russ Tech-Command
- 4: Codex: Astra Militarum (8th Edition):
- 5: Warhammer 40,000: Darktide: Mourningstar Hub area (idle npc dialogue) - Commissar Dukane, Guardsman Pragg, Guardsman Harket, and Overseer Marsett
- 6: The Citadel Journal 7, pg. 38
- 7: The Citadel Journal 22, pg. 5
- 8: Inquisitor Magazine Issue 14, pg. 22
| Imperial Guard Infantry | |
|---|---|
| Command | Company Command Squad • Platoon Command Squad • Scion Command Squad • Tank Commander • Regimental Advisors • Commissar • Primaris Psyker • Tech-priest Enginseer • Priest • Ogryn Bodyguard |
| Specialists | Master of Ordnance • Breacher • Scout • Medic • Vox-Operator • Weapons Specialist • Sharpshooter • Operator |
| Troops | Infantry Squad • Heavy Weapons Team • Special Weapons Squad • Armoured Fist Squad • Veteran Squad • Engineer Squad • Scions Squad • Canids • Penal Legion Troopers • Ogryn Squad • Ratling Squad • Psyker Battle Squad • Rough Rider Squad • Field Ordnance Battery • Jump Trooper • H-Grade Combat Servitor • Cyber-Altered Task • Servo-Sentry |
