A Cerastus Knight-Lancer in combat at the Battle of Molech during the Horus Heresy. Note that its Ion Gauntlet Shield is activated.
A Cerastus Knight-Lancer is one of the more uncommon patterns of Imperial Knight-class combat walkers, but also the most highly valued pattern fielded by the Knight houses during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy.
The Cerastus Knight-Lancer is a first strike weapon, attuned to rapid, close combat assault tactics and making lethal flanking charges against a foe. It is justly renowned for its speed and its power, as well as for the temperamental and restive nature of the Machine Spirits (artificial intelligence) which dwell as anima within its colossal frame.
Because of this reputation, the most impetuous and glory-hungry Scions of the Knight houses are driven to bond with these war machines, their own souls a match for the fury caged within their mounts. The greatest of these pairings will go on to create martial legends among their lineage, while for those whose temper cannot fully master that of their Knight armour or whose own lust for glory might see valour outweigh caution on the battlefield, their triumphs are likely to blaze brightly, if briefly, in the chronicles of their Houses.
History[]
A relic Cerastus Knight-Lancer of House Vyronii
The Lancer is the most widely known variant of the ancient Cerastus Pattern Knight armour, a highly sophisticated chassis whose speed and agility far exceed the clumsier Questoris-class Errant and Paladin types. The Cerastus-class Knights appear to have been designed solely for war; not as protectors or guardians like traditional Knights, but as bloody-handed conquerors and tools of destruction that would leave a legacy of violence that marked the beginning of the Age of Strife.
The Cerastus Knight-Lancer is held in high esteem by the more impetuous of a house's Scions, its potent Ion Gauntlet Shield and Cerastus Shock Lance perfectly suited to battling the foe face-to-face, where only a perfectly-timed thrust of the lance stands between a Noble and death. In particular, those Scions who follow the Uhlan traditions favour the speed and ferocity of the Lancer, and when rival Knight houses meet in combat, these warriors race ahead of their household's forces to clash in single combat with the enemy's champions.
Unit Composition[]
- 1 Cerastus Knight-Lancer
Wargear[]
- Cerastus Shock Lance (Ranged Attack or Close Combat)
- Ion Gauntlet Shield
- Blessed Autocimulacra
- Throne Mechanicum
- Titanic Feet - The weight of the Knight alone is enough for it to crush enemy units beneath its behemoth tread.
Optional Wargear[]
- Occular Augmetics - An upgrade to the Knight's Occular sensors enabling a far greater degree of visual input during low-light conditions, such as night fighting.
Canon Conflict[]
A Knight Lancer (1st Edition era)
The history of the Cerastus Knight-Lancer as presented above is canon culled from Codex: Imperial Knights for the 7th Edition of the game. The original incarnation of the Knight Lancer was provided in the supplement found in White Dwarf 126 (UK).
This account of the Knight Lancer's history differed greatly from that given above and has largely been superseded by the newer canon, however, it has been included in the article and is also presented below. Please note that the below contains information that is no longer considered canon according to the current iteration of the Warhammer 40,000 universe:
Knight Lancer[]
The Knight Lancer is a variant of the standard Knight suit that has been designed for speed and agility. The Knight Lancer is most usually used to perform scouting actions, outflank enemy forces and distract them while heavier units can position themselves to attack. The Knight Lancer is equipped with a Battle Cannon to give it long range fighting capability, but its true armament is the Power Lance.
The Power Lance is a relatively simple upgrade to the standard Shock Lance that is mounted on other Knight patterns. It operates by intensifying the bolt of energy normally expelled from Shock Lances, changing it into a searing arc of lightning capable of rending all but the strongest of armour plating and causing havoc in enemy ranks. The Power Lance has a very short range, but its nature makes it the perfect weapon for hit-and-run attacks.
Sources[]
- Adeptus Titanicus - The Horus Heresy: Shadow & Iron (Specialty Game), pp. 51, 61
- Adeptus Titanicus - The Horus Heresy: Doom of Molech (Specialty Game), pp. 43, 47, 57
- Adeptus Titanicus - The Horus Heresy: Titandeath (Specialty Game), pp. 91-92
- Adeptus Titanicus - The Horus Heresy: Defence of Ryza (Specialty Game), pg. 59
- Adeptus Titanicus - The Horus Heresy: Loyalist Legios (Specialty Game), pp. 26, 67, 117
- Adeptus Titanicus - The Horus Heresy: Traitor Legios (Specialty Game), pp. 26, 66, 76, 127
- The Horus Heresy - Book Three: Extermination (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 231
- The Horus Heresy - Book Four: Conquest (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 26, 41, 60-62, 75, 99, 112-113, 116-117, 120-121, 128-129, 132-133, 136-137, 194, 213, 295, 305
- White Dwarf 126 (UK), "Space Marine - Knights," by Andy Chambers, pp. 31, 38, 42-43, 45
- Forge World - Cerastus Knight-Lancer
- Warhammer Community - Doom of Molech: What's in the Book (Knight Image)
Gallery[]
| Imperial Knight Forces | |
|---|---|
| Armiger Pattern Knights | Armiger Warglaive • Armiger Helverin • Knight Moirax |
| Questoris Pattern Knights | Knight Paladin • Knight Errant • Knight Crusader • Knight Gallant • Knight Warden • Knight Preceptor • Knight Magaera • Knight Styrix |
| Dominus Pattern Knights | Knight Castellan • Knight Valiant |
| Cerastus Pattern Knights | Cerastus Knight-Lancer • Cerastus Knight-Castigator • Cerastus Knight-Acheron • Cerastus Knight-Atrapos |
| Acastus Pattern Knights | Acastus Knight Porphyrion • Acastus Knight Asterius |
| Chaos Knight Forces | |
|---|---|
| Armiger Pattern Knights (War Dog-class) | War Dog (War Dog Executioner • War Dog Stalker • War Dog Karnivore • War Dog Brigand • War Dog Huntsman) |
| Slaaneshi Daemon Knights | Hell-Strider • Hell-Scourge • Hell-Knight |
| Cerastus Pattern Knights | Cerastus Knight-Acheron • Cerastus Knight-Castigator • Cerastus Knight-Lancer |
| Questoris Pattern Knights (Abhorrent-class) | Knight Despoiler • Knight Desecrator • Knight Rampager • Knight Abominant |
| Acastus Pattern Knights | Acastus Knight Porphyrion |
| Dominus Pattern Knights (Tyrant-class) | Knight Tyrant |