An Imperial Army Testudo
The Testudo was an armoured personnel carrier (APC) that was used by the Imperial Army during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. The Testudo was lightly armed and armoured and was phased-out and replaced by the more common Chimera. The Chimera features heavier weapons and armour yet retains the Testudo's transport capacity of twelve infantrymen. Another disadvantage of the Testudo was that it used solid rubber tires, which were less dependable than the metal tracks later used by the Chimera. The vehicle's main advantage over most other military vehicles of the time was its speed, as the absence of thick armour or heavy metal tracks allowed the vehicle to reach impressive speeds. During off-road operation, the vehicle would kick up large amounts of dust, which itself was an advantage as it would conceal the vehicle, acting as a natural smoke screen. The Testudo's main function was to protect Imperial Army infantry from enemy small-arms fire, but due to the vehicle's light plating it was unable to ward-off heavier munitions, leaving it vulnerable to attacks from enemy heavy armour.
Armament[]
The Testudo was armed with an Autocannon mounted on a small turret, which was capable of turning a full 360 degrees, which allowed the vehicle to engage enemy units whether it was travelling towards them or fleeing. The Testudo's troop compartment was capable of carrying an entire infantry squad, up to twelve soldiers, yet lacked the Lasgun mounts featured on the Chimera. The troop compartment only had a single exit, a rear ramp wide enough to allow two soldiers to exit the vehicle side-by-side. The inside of the troop hold featured benches that ran the length of the hold, allowing the passengers to sit down. Near the front of the passenger hold were ammunition baskets that held the ammunition for the vehicle's turret-mounted Autocannon. It is unknown if the Testudo was able to be outfitted with other weapons or upgrades.
Known Users of the Testudo[]
While the Testudo was used by the Imperial Army, it is unknown if the vehicle was widely used by many Army regiments or if the vehicle was only used by regiments that were near the vehicle's planet of origin. Regiments that made use of the Testudo are as follows:
- Tanagran Dragoons - 8 regiments of the Imperial Army's Tanagran Dragoons made use of Testudos during the defence of the Imperial Forge World of Diamat from rebels during the opening stages of the Horus Heresy.
Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications[]
| Vehicle Name: | Testudo | Main Armament: | Turret-mounted Autocannon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | Unknown | Secondary Armament: | Unknown |
| Known Patterns: | Unknown | Traverse: | 360 degrees |
| Crew: | 1 Driver, 1 Gunner | Elevation: | Unknown |
| Powerplant: | Unknown | Main Ammunition: | Unknown |
| Weight: | Approx. 40 tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | Unknown |
| Length: | Unknown | Armour: | |
| Width: | Unknown | ||
| Height: | Unknown | Superstructure: | Unknown |
| Ground Clearance: | Unknown | Hull: | Unknown |
| Max Speed On-Road: | Unknown | Gun Mantlet: | Unknown |
| Max Speed Off-Road: | Unknown | Vehicle Designation: | Unknown |
| Transport Capacity: | 12 Infantrymen | Firing Ports: | Unknown |
| Access Points: | Rear Ramp | Turret: | Unknown |
Also See[]
Canon Issues[]
There are no known official pictures of the Testudo; the image used above is a photo of a wheeled variant of the Chimera APC that preceded the Testudo in use by the Imperial Army. If official images are released this page will be updated accordingly.
Sources[]
- Fallen Angels (Novel) by Mike Lee, pp. 112-114, 160-165, 357