Iconoclast-class Destroyer

The Iconoclast-class Destroyer is a small combat vessel that is widespread across the fringes of the Imperium. Although indelibly associated with the vast Chaos Fleets which sporadically sweep from the Eye of Terror, the majority of Iconoclasts are in fact more often used by opportunistic pirates who may have no connection to the Ruinous Powers. Iconoclasts are a favoured vessel for many pirates due to its firepower and rugged and common design. Iconoclasts are also easy to modify to look like a wide variety of other voidships, meaning that they excel at ambushes and striking from surprise. Relatively cheap to acquire or repair, Iconoclasts are a common sight in many raiding bands of Chaos Reavers. The ship's design is similar to any number of small Escort ships turned out by every Imperial shipyard.

History[]

Roving squadrons of Chaos Iconoclast-class Destroyers have been a constant peril to Imperial shipping. Mainly used by pirates and other lawless bands, the Iconoclast is similar in design to a variety of small Escort ships turned out by almost every shipyard in the Imperium of Man. Although compact, they carry a fearsome amount of firepower for their size and when encountered in numbers can be a threat to even a capital ship. In fleet actions, they mainly engage enemy Escorts, gun down Attack Craft and destroy incoming torpedoes. The Carrion Squadron, a band of Renegades operating off the Duran moon, became infamous for their skill at convoy attacks, daringly darting amongst the convoy's defence vessels to destroy the transports before escaping. The Lost Souls also achieved notoriety for their part in the Faustus Assault. It was their vicious hit-and-run attacks that destroyed half of the world of Faustus' orbital defences, allowing the Excessive and Plagueclaw to bombard that world in preparation for the subsequent landing of the squadron's Chaos raiders.

Iconoclasts and the Calixis Sector[]

In the wild regions of space near the Calixis Sector, many Iconoclasts are produced in shadow ports and lawless orbital shipyards that lurk beyond the bounds of the Imperium, assembled by Hereteks and shipwright clans who owe no fealty to Terra. Many Inquisitors in the Calixis Sector have devoted their lives to ascertaining the class' origins. A handful of investigators have formed paranoid conspiracy theories, Inquisitor Kalladran of the Tricorn Palace on Scintilla famously denounced the Iconoclast as "an ancient terror-meme, a thought virus spread from Heretic to Heretic in the form of blueprints stained with the blood of billions." Others note that Iconoclasts tend to have any number of design variations, and it is far more likely simply an easily duplicated design.

Such histrionics aside, the Iconoclast is a simple, compact and easily constructed vessel which can be assembled in even the most primitive orbital shipyard, given time. Well armed for its size, many pirate fleets consist entirely of swarms of Iconoclasts, which in sufficient numbers are capable of bringing down even the mightiest Battleship. Rogue Traders with piratical inclinations often possess such vessels, whether through successful boarding actions or outright purchase.

Notable Iconoclast-class Destroyer Squadrons[]

Carrion Squadron
Chains of Judgement
Delectibles Morte
Fearmongers
Gilded Claw
Inculpators of Harok
Lost Souls
Hellebore - This notable Iconoclast Class Destroyer, built in the Strigoi shipyards, was severely damaged and left drifting in the void without a crew after an action with the Rogue Trader vessel Malescaythe in the Eye of Terror. The Hellebore's derelict wreck was captured by Chaos forces, and every surface was decorated with human and alien skulls. It is now crewed by followers of a cult of Khorne, the Blood Moon pilgrims from Koryban, and commanded by a former World Eaters Battle Brother.

Dimensions[]

Hull: Destroyer.
Class: Iconoclast-class Destroyer.
Dimensions: Approximately 1.3 kilometres long, 0.4 kilometres abeam at fins.
Mass: Approximately 6.1 megatonnes.
Crew: Approximately 16,500 crew.
Acceleration: 7.2 Gravities maximum sustainable acceleration.

Sources[]

Battlefleet Gothic Rulebook (Blue Book), pg. 125
Rogue Trader: Battlefleet Koronus (RPG), pp. 28-29, 110
Rogue Trader: Twilight Crusade (RPG), pg. 118
Atlas Infernal (Novel) by Rob Sanders, Act I, Canto V