The Spartan Assault Tank is the big daddy to the current Astartes Land Raider, but where did it come from? Get all the details in today’s lore post!
Via our friends at Lexicanum
The Spartan Assault Tank was a large heavy tank designed during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy to carry a full squad of Terminator-armored Marines. Originally designed to get through the ‘Ring of Death’ surrounding the city of Aries Primus on Mars, the standard Land Raider at the time could not transport Terminators. The design is based off the famous Land Raider.
The original Spartan had the standard Land Raider armament of the day, two twin-linked lascannons (heavy bolters were not standard then) but also mounted either a heavy bolter or heavy flamer on a turret on top. It was widely spread after the Heresy, but disappeared when the standard Land Raider was re-designed to carry Terminators. The Spartan design used today features the twin hull-mounted heavy bolters seen on contemporary Land Raider designs, as well as a pair of sponsons fitted with a quad-lascannon battery each. It is able to transport 25 Space Marines in power armour and has the largest transport capacity of any dedicated transport vehicle used in the Imperium save the Gorgon. Additionally, it is considerably faster than other Land Raider variants despite its increased size, due to its reactor-driven motive drive systems.
Many Space Marine Chapters still maintain these huge war machines as part of their arsenals and deploy them into warzones where even the mighty Land Raider would be torn asunder. Chaos Space Marine warbands still operate Spartans that date back to the Great Crusade, with most belonging to the original Traitor Legions.
Technical Information
| Vehicle Name: | Spartan Assault Tank | Main Armament: | 2x Sponson-mounted quad Lascannons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | Anvilus Nine | Secondary Armament: | Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter |
| Known Patterns: | I-VI | Traverse: | 180° |
| Crew: | Driver, Gunner | Elevation: | From -32° to +55° |
| Powerplant: | Atomantic core with auxiliary reactor | Main Ammunition: | Unlimited cell power feed |
| Weight: | 71 tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | 800 rounds |
| Length: | 10m | Armour | |
| Width: | 6.1m | ||
| Height: | 5m | Superstructure: | 95mm |
| Ground Clearance: | 0.5m | Hull: | 95mm |
| Max Speed – on road | 45kph | Gun Mantlet | N/A |
| Max Speed – off road: | 38kph | Vehicle Designation: | N/A |
| Transport Capacity: | 25 | Firing Ports: | N/A |
| Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | N/A |
Would you like a BIGGER Tank? Checkout the Mastodon!
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
