This massive dropship that was used a long time ago to take troops into battle has a lot of lost tech to unlock Let’s learn more!
Via: Lexicanum
The Stormbird was developed to replace the older Skylance gunships of the Unification Wars. Capable of both void and atmospheric flight, the Stormbird was first manufactured on Terra, by the Yndonesic Bloc for use against the Panpacific tribes, during the end stages of the Unification Wars. The Stormbird could carry at least 50 fully armored marines into battles.
Alternatively it could carry up to 5 Dreadnoughts, including the mighty Leviathan; Jump-pack equipped infantry; Rapier batteries; bikes; jetbikes; a Rhino armoured transport; or a mixed force. The Stormbird’s standard armament was four turret-mounted twin linked lascannons, three twin-linked heavy bolters, and a complement of six dreadstrike missiles.
It was also equipped with particularly dense composite armour plating, and is further protected by a series of void shield generators which it can extend to protect disembarking troops and war machines. Its shields allowed it to be impervious to all ground fire save Defense Lasers.
They were in use throughout the Great Crusade, although by the time of the Horus Heresy, most of the Legions had switched to the smaller, more agile Thunderhawk. The Luna Wolves were one of the few Legions that deliberately kept Stormbirds in service, since these ships had carried them into battle since the beginning.
A Stormbird was piloted by two Marines sitting back-to-back, along with two hard-wired servitors. During the Heresy, Nathaniel Garro, former Captain of the Death Guard Legion, used a Stormbird to travel to various planets, on the orders of Malcador the Sigillite. Like Garro’s Power Armour, the ship bore no Legion insignia or colours, and was a uniform grey.
All but a legend by the final years of the 41st Millennium, no new examples of the Stormbird have been constructed in almost a millennia. Much of the technology that allows such a behemoth to function is no longer understood. However, some aging Stormbirds are still utilized by some Chaos Space Marine forces such as the Word Bearers.
