A Macharius Vulcan advancing across the battlefield during the Siege of Vraks
The Macharius Vulcan, a variant of the Macharius Heavy Tank, is a heavily armoured main battle tank of the Astra Militarum. The Macharius and its variants are often referred to as "Second-Generation" Baneblades as they are larger than the standard Leman Russ Tank but smaller than the Baneblade it was built to replace when none are available.
Macharius tanks are built by Adeptus Mechanicus Forge Worlds that are eager to secure large military contracts, but do not possess the Standard Template Construct (STC) designs which are needed to manufacture super-heavy battle tanks such as the Baneblade or Shadowsword. Many Forge Worlds lack even partial STC designs for these tanks and are unable to create any of their lesser variants such as the Stormblade and Stormsword.
Only a handful of Forge Worlds are allowed access to the original STC designs for these ancient and powerful war machines, and a Mechanicus Magos may petition Mars for access to these designs for centuries or even a millennia without success. As a result, these Forge Worlds may turn to the manufacture of the more readily available Macharius tank.
History[]
During the middle of the 41st Millennium a Magos from the Forge World of Lucius known as Nalax discovered the partial data remnants of a long-forgotten battle tank that was used during the Great Crusade. After many years of diligent study and cross-examination of ancient documents recovered deep within the archives of Lucius, Nalax was able to gather enough of the data to construct the Macharius.
Nalax went to Mars and to the Fabricator-General for approval to begin manufacturing the Macharius. The process of approval took nearly two hundred Terran years and Nalax himself did not live to see the outcome.
After long testing and consultations with many other Forge Worlds, Lucius was finally sanctioned to start production by the Mechanicus. The tank was named after Lord Solar Macharius, the great Imperial general who led the Macharian Crusade of 392-399.M41 and liberated one thousand worlds in the name of the Emperor of Mankind.
Armament[]
The Macharius Vulcan's main weapon, the Vulcan Mega Bolter, in close-up
The Macharius Vulcan's only difference from the standard Macharius tank is its main weapon. The Macharius Vulcan replaces the standard Twin-linked Battle Cannons of the Macharius with a Vulcan Mega Bolter, a weapon usually used only on Imperial Titans.
The Vulcan Mega Bolter is an immense multi-barrelled rotary gun that fires Heavy Bolter shells at an incredible rate of fire. The use of such a rapid-firing weapon makes the Macharius Vulcan extremely deadly and effective when used against enemy infantry.
Unfortunately, the tank is able to hold only enough ammunition to fire the weapon continuously for 20 seconds, so it is not uncommon to find tank crews that fill the tank's stowage bins with extra ammunition for the main weapon and some that even carry it strapped to the outside of the tank.
The Macharius Vulcan is also equipped with a hull-mounted Twin-Linked Heavy Stubber, and two sponson-mounted Heavy Bolters, one on each side. All Macharius Tanks can be upgraded with the following improvements: a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, an improved communications system, a minesweeper, a Pintle Mounted Heavy Stubber, a Searchlight, and a Smoke Launcher.
Notable Users of the Macharius Vulcan[]
- Imperial Guard - Although the Macharius design is a relativity new addition to the Imperium's arsenal, the tank is able to be constructed at many Forge Worlds, and many that are not capable of constructing super-heavy armour such as the Baneblade will manufacture Macharius tanks instead. These Forge Worlds supply their tanks to many Imperial Guard regiments all over the Imperium.
- The Death Korps of Krieg - The Death Korps of Krieg fielded many Macharius tanks during the 17 year-long Siege of Vraks, where they fought against the Forces of Chaos.
- The Vraksian Traitor Militia - During the 17 year-long Siege of Vraks there were several instances of the Vraksian Traitor Militia forces capturing Macharius tanks for their own use.
- 14th Vaust Armoured Regiment - Fought in defence of the Imperial Mining World of Betalis III against the Eldar of Craftworld Mymeara
- 6th Cadian Armoured Regiment - Fought in defence of the Imperial Mining World of Betalis III against the Eldar of Craftworld Mymeara
Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications[]
| Vehicle Name: | Macharius Vulcan | Main Armament: | Turret-mounted Vulcan Mega Bolter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | Lucius | Secondary Armament: | One Hull-Mounted Twin-Linked Heavy Stubber, and Two Sponson-Mounted Heavy Bolters |
| Known Patterns: | I - II | Traverse: | 360 degrees |
| Crew: | 1 Commander, 1 Driver, 1 Main Gunner, Two Sponson Gunners, and 1 Communications Operator | Elevation: | -2 to 28 degrees |
| Powerplant: | LC400 v18 p2 Multi-Fuel | Main Ammunition: | 8,000 Rounds |
| Weight: | 172 Tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | 1000 Rounds and 600 Rounds |
| Length: | 10.9 metres | Armour: | |
| Width: | 7 metres | ||
| Height: | 4.8 metres | Superstructure: | 200 millimetres |
| Ground Clearance: | .45 metres | Hull: | 190 millimetres |
| Max Speed On-Road: | 26 kilometres per hour | Gun Mantlet: | 150 millimetres |
| Max Speed Off-Road: | 18 kilometres per hour | Vehicle Designation: | 8769-128-8734-MA14 |
| Transport Capacity: | None | Firing Ports: | N/A |
| Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | 220 millimetres |
Sources[]
- Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard (Second Edition), pp. 119-120, 267
- Imperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks - Part Two, pp. 93, 114-117
- Imperial Armour Volume Eleven - The Doom of Mymeara, pg. 83
- Imperial Armour Volume Twelve - The Fall of Orpheus, pg. 182
- Imperial Armour Apocalypse, pg. 13
- Imperial Armour Apocalypse (2nd Edition), pg. 11
Also See[]
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