There are many Land Raider variants that serve various roles throughout the Imperium. Here are some that were born out of necessity.
Via our good friends at Lexicanum
The Land Raider (originally known as Land’s Raider) is a heavy tank and transport used primarily by the Space Marines and Chaos Space Marines, but also by the Adeptus Mechanicus, Inquisition and even especially influential Rogue Traders. It is capable of operating in virtually any kind of planetary environment. Its hull fully isolates its occupants from the environment and provides life support functions, allowing operation on inhospitable and airless planets from complete vacuum to on ocean floor. The Land Raider is designed to move at a good speed while still carrying heavy armaments as well as a number of warriors within its armoured hull. It is a Standard Template Construct vehicle, like many others in the armories of Imperial forces and has been modified several times since its rediscovery. The standard modern pattern of Land Raider however is known as the Land Raider Phobos which provided with non the less standard M32 “Cyclops” class battle cogitator.
The Land Raider Crusader is an assault-based version of the Land Raider used by the Space Marines. It has several modifications to allow it to assist warriors assaulting out of the front hatch. It also has a much greater transport capacity due to the removal of many of the large energy generators needed to power the Lascannons, and special frag charges to fill the air before it with lethal shrapnel and cover the disembarking Marines. The Land Raider Crusader design originated from the Jerulas Crusade in 645.M39 when Artificer Simagus used ancient techno-arcana, recovered from the long-forgotten depths of a captured Hive City, to develop what would become one of the most feared tanks in the Imperium. As tales of the Crusader’s successes spread, many other Chapters began to request information regarding its remodeling. Eventually the Adeptus Mechanicus of Mars officially recognized the Crusader pattern in 763.M39, although by this point it was a mere formality since the design had already spread to hundreds of Chapters.
The Crusader’s most significant departure from the original vehicle comes in its armaments, with the sponson-mounted lascannons replaced with Hurricane-pattern bolters, the hull-mounted heavy bolter replaced with twin-linked Assault Cannons, and several Frag Assault Launchers studding its hull. These numerous short-ranged, rapid-firing weapons allow the Crusader to lay low the enemy before disgorging its embarked passengers and provide them with superior fire suppression. In compensation for the loss in anti-tank firepower the pintle-mount was converted to carry a Multi-melta, which also serves to breach defences and clear anti-tank obstacles. The first Crudaders of the Black Templars didn’t have a multi-meltas, but after several battles multi-melta was added to this tank due to its necessity. With the removal of the bulky generators needed to power the lascannons the Crusader can carry sixteen Space Marines or eight Terminators, the largest transport capacity of any Land Raider variant. Carrying so many additional troops also necessitated the adding of Extra Armour and structural supports to the vehicle which, due to the additional strain on its engines, also reduces the Crusader’s top speed slightly. A standard Crusader also mounts Smoke Launchers and a Searchlight along with the option to carry a Hunter-Killer Missile.
Land Raider Helios
The Land Raider Helios is a variant of the Space Marines’ Land Raider, designed as a stop-gap measure for long range artillery support. The Hyperios variant is used as an air defense vehicle. Since its first introduction, it has been adopted by a number of Chapters, though it still remains an uncommon sight on the battlefield. In 857.M38, the Red Scorpions were embroiled in the legendary “Siege of Helios”, where they found themselves lacking in sufficient artillery to breach the walls or suppress the defenders in their sector. The Red Scorpions, being an especially insular and independent Chapter, refused to call upon the local Imperial Guard for assistance, and instead the Chapter Master directed his Master of the Forge to produce a solution. In response, they converted all twelve of their Land Raiders into what became known as the “Helios” pattern. The new Land Raider Helios, in combination with the Chapter’s Whirlwinds, proceeded to knock down the offending walls and assaulted the defenders with success.
Later this pattern of Land Raider was borrowed by other Chapters and Land Raiders Helios where deployed when there was armored artillery support needed. The Helios Land Raiders has proved themselves useful in traversing through the especially dangerous and difficult terrain impassable for less armored Whirlwinds. Such dangerous war zones include those set within magma seas, fractal crystal forests and carnivorous jungles. The main difference between the Helios and the standard Land Raider is the addition of a Whirlwind multiple missile launcher besides the two Twin-linked Lascannons. The trade-off is that some of the transport capacity is given over to missile storage; the Helios pattern can only carry six Space Marines in normal power armor, and only three in Terminator Armour. Besides a Searchlight and Smoke Launchers, the Land Raider Helios can be upgraded with Extra Armour, a Hunter-killer Missile, and a pintle-mounted Storm Bolter. It may also replace its Whirlwind launcher with a Hyperios missile launcher, turning it into an air defense vehicle.
Land Raider Redeemer
The Land Raider Redeemer is an assault version of the Land Raider used by the Space Marines. Like the Land Raider Crusader from which it evolved, the Redeemer variant has several modifications which, while decreasing the transport capacity, assist warriors assaulting from within it. Unlike the Crusader, this variant supports assaulting Astartes with a Flamestorm Cannon rather than bolt weapons.
The first Land Raider Redeemer was created by the Fire Lords chapter, under the command of Jaric Phoros, on the planet of Grissen. Finding themselves in the midst of a planet-wide civil war, the Space Marines made little progress against the natives. The rebels were so entrenched that even the most devastating orbital bombardments made scant impact on their positions. Since Exterminatus was not an option, Phoros bit back his mounting frustration and directed his Techmarines to construct a weapon that would win the war. Within a month of the first Land Raider modifications, the largest planetary faction was suing for peace and Grissen was part of the Imperium once more. In the wake of the Grissen campaign, Phoros disseminated his new design’s schematics.
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About the Author: Juan Lopez
