Valkyrie
The Valkyrie Airborne Assault Carrier is a heavily armed Imperial Aircraft with VTOL (Vertical Take-off and Landing) capabilities, used to ferry special forces such as Storm Trooper Squads and Drop Troop Regiments such as the Elysian Drop Troops and Harakoni Warhawks to and from combat zones.[2a]
Contents
Overview
Barring a few exceptions the Valkyrie, like most of the Imperium's aircraft, is piloted and operated by the Imperial Navy, with a pilot, co-pilot and two door gunners.[2a] Valkyries are provided in joint operations for use to the Imperial Guard on an as needed basis, with pilots reporting directly to the regiment's senior officer.[3] However, in cases where a Valkyrie squadron can expect to be attached to Imperial Guard units for a long duration, modifications are made to the Valkyrie to enhance its role of close air support. The most common modifications are Extra armour and a Searchlight. This extra weight reduces the Valkyrie's maximum flight altitude and speed, but allows the crew to use its VTOL capabilities to the maximum potential with improved survivability.[1][3]
With advanced flight control and sensor gear, the Valkyrie contains technology comparable to those found in Space Marine Vehicles, limiting their construction to sufficiently-advanced planets such as Forge Worlds. In flight, the aircraft utilizes twin vectored engines in order to not only vertically take off and land, but also hover in mid-air, allowing for greater accuracy in deploying its twelve passengers. These engines can be sealed, and an onboard oxygen supply employed, for when operating in hostile environments. Common methods for deploying from a Valkyrie range from simply jumping off (if the height from the ground is low enough) to fast-roping and rappelling.[2a] When unable to operate that low to the ground, deploying via high-altitude jumps using grav-chutes are possible, though highly dangerous.[3] In addition, when mounting extra fuel tanks the Valkyrie is capable of carrying a modified Drop Sentinel, Cyclops Demolition Vehicle or Sentry Gun.[2a]
Its primary armament is a Multi-laser, which can be replaced with a Lascannon, and two door-mounted Heavy Bolters. This combination of weapons allows Valkyrie pilots to stay on station once their cargo has been dropped and provide limited air-support to the troops on the ground. In place of the craft's two external fuel tanks the Valkyrie can instead take either two Hellstrike missiles or two Rocket pods, and can receive additional upgrades.[2c]
Valkyrie
The Interior of a Valkyrie
| Type | Airborne Assault Carrier[2b] | Operational Ceiling | 13,000m |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Name | Valkyrie | Max Speed | 1100kph |
| Forge World of Origin | Mars, Voss, Artemia, Estaban VII, Agripinaa, Phaeton, Lucius | Range | 2,000km in atmosphere |
| Known Patterns | I-X | Main Armament | Hull mounted Multi-laser, 2x door-mounted Heavy bolters |
| Crew | Pilot, navigator, 2x door gunner | Secondary Armament | 2x Hellstrike Missiles, Rocket Pods[2c] |
| Powerplant | 2x F75-MV Afterburning Vector-Turbojets | Main Ammunition | 150 shots from powerpack |
| Weight | 13 tonnes empty | Secondary Ammunition | 1000 rounds |
| Length | 18.5m | Armour | |
| Wingspan | 16.9m | Superstructure | 75mm |
| Height | 4.8m | Hull | 75mm |
Variants
Vulture
The Vulture Gunship is a vehicle closely related of the Valkyrie which has been converted into an attack aircraft, sacrificing its troop-carrying capacity for increased firepower.[2d]
Vendetta
The Vendetta Heavy Gunship is a Valkyrie attached to Imperial Guard units which, in addition to the increased armour, are equipped with three Twin-linked Lascannons, and used as a tank hunter after dropping off any unit being transported by it. Furthermore, it still retains the ability to mount two Heavy Bolter door guns. It may also replace the two hardpoint-mounted Twin-linked lascannons on its wings for two Hellfury Missiles.[3] Despite their impressive firepower, Vendetta Gunships lack the flexibility of Vulture Gunships, which are chosen more often for deep-range attack, strafing and urban assault missions.[5]
Sky Talon
The Valkyrie Sky Talon is a newer variant of the standard Valkyrie airborne assault carrier. A support aircraft used for heavy lifting in combat theatres, the Sky Talon is armed for self-defense and to assist the other assault carriers as they clear drop zones of the enemy. Standard armament is a nose mounted Heavy Bolter turret and two Hellstrike Missiles under the wings, which can be replaced with two Rocket pods. Despite its armament, it is unusual for Sky Talons to be used in a battlefield role. Rather, they deliver their heavy cargo, typically a Tauros or two Drop Sentinels, then quickly exit.[4]
Spectre
The Spectre-class Valkyrie armored assault carrier is an oversized variant of the Valkyrie designed to transport small vehicles and light ordnance. It deviates from the original design by the presence of four engines, an extended cargo bay able to carry two Centaurs and their troop complement, a nose-mounted autocannon, four door-mounted heavy bolters, and four hardpoints under the wings.[9]
Famous Valkyries and Valkyrie Squadrons
- 2nd Imperial Navy Tactical Wing[2e]
- 22nd Elysian Drop Troop Regiment[2e]
- 64th Elysian Drop Troops Regiment[2e]
- 71st Imperial Navy Tactical Wing[2e]
- 123rd Imperial Navy Tactical Wing[2e]
- 205th Imperial Navy Tactical Wing[2e]
- 454th Adamantine Eagles
- Steel Eagle — 22nd Catachan Jungle Fighters.[1][8]
- 42nd Squadron, Emperor's Devil's — Assigned to the Armageddon Hive Militia in the Third War for Armageddon. Led by the Captain Red 'Devil' Kowloski.[7]
Images
Epic Valkyrie
Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyries and Lightnings[10]
See also
Sources
- 1: White Dwarf 354 (AU), pg. 48
- 2: Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy
- 3: Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition), pg. 56
- 4: Imperial Armour - Apocalypse Second Edition, pg. 39
- 5: Imperial Armour - Apocalypse II, pg. 20
- 6: Vendetta Heavy Gunship Conversion Kit (Saved archive page, dated May 2015, last accessed 9 September 2015)
- 7: Apocalypse (2013) (E-Book) pg. 316, Ghazghkull's Second Invasion of Armageddon
- 8: Liber Apocalyptica: Valkyrie (saved archive page, dated May 2012, last accessed 27 February 2019)
- 9: Redemption Corps (Novel), Chapter 3 Part I
- 10: Warhammer Conquest: New Reveals from Nuremberg (Posed on 29/01/2020) (Last accessed on 29 January 2020)
Uncited
 |
| Tempestus Scion Forces | |
|---|---|
| Command | Commissar • Militarum Tempestus Command Squad |
| Troops | Tempestus Scions |
| Vehicles | Taurox Prime • Valkyrie |
| Forces of the Inquisition | |
|---|---|
| Inquisitors | Lord Inquisitor • Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor • Ordo Malleus Inquisitor • Ordo Xenos Inquisitor |
| Retinue | Acolyte • Arco-Flagellant • Astropath • Autosavant • Banisher • Cherubim • Chiurgeon • Crusader • Daemonhost • Death Cult Assassin • Interrogator • Jokaero Weaponsmith • Hierophant • Lexmechanic • Mystic • Sage • Sanctioned Psyker • Servo-skull • Servitor • Sisters Dialogous • Sisters Hospitaller • Pariah • Penitent • Priest • Torturer • Veteran Guardsman • Warp-Seer |
| Other Troops | Inquisitorial Stormtroopers • Inquisitorial Pyroclasts • Deathwatch • Grey Knights • Sisters of Battle • Callidus Assassin • Culexus Assassin • Eversor Assassin • Vindicare Assassin |
| Vehicles | Chimera • Land Raider • Land Raider Crusader • Land Raider Redeemer • Razorback • Rhino • Valkyrie |
| Fleet | Inquisitorial Black Ship |
