Vedas-Moarden

Speaking to the IIIrd Legion's particular ferocity, it was understandable that they would seek out the opportunity to expand their arsenal at the Mechanicum's behest. Though one of the initial Legion's offered the Ajax it was not immediately adopted, taking the Forge-Master Armin Doss's personal battery of tests before accepting it. Even then the Forge-Master had several fundamental changes approved before allowing it to be manufactured en masse for his brethren. But the time it was in legionary hands it had been moulded into a formidable beast, able to cut down droves of the vile, chittering enemies of man that stood before them, before out-manoeuvring them with blinding speed.

## **Design**

While the main body of the Vedas-Moarden is much the same in configuration as the Martian 'original' it has had it's driver compartment reduced severely, now only able to fit a single legionary as it's driver. The leftover space in the front of the vehicle has been replaced with a whole new engine type to significantly boost speed despite the heavy equipment onboard. The open secondary position of gunner in the rear of the vehicle has been replaced somewhat. Armour now surrounds the gunner as the rear section has been turned into an elevated compartment directly behind the drivers', with it's own reinforced plastek wind shield for further protection. Mounting it' main weaponry on the flanks of the vehicle it has a commanding arc of fire that is augmented even further by the augur array mounted on the rear of the vehicle to help with target acquisition and classification. Created in the Black stars image, the Vedas-Moarden has proven to be a nimble and aggressive foe on the battlefield.

### **Armament**

With the complete relocation of the weapons systems of the Vedas, the more scout-like aspects of the Ajax chassis have been disregarded in favour of sheer firepower. On either side of the vehicle are a set of mountings for a single heavy weapon, with full articulation and arc of fire that allows them to aim in any direction in a 180° arc on either side. These mounts are traditionally fitted with a pair of Iliastus pattern Assault Cannons normally reserved for those terminator-clad legion veterans. With a pair of these monstrous weapons on either side of the vehicle they can easily be used to chew through hordes of light infantry or dissuade any vehicle fast enough to keep up with them.

To feed the appetite of a pair of weapons as hungry as this requires a particularly large storage of ammunition, which partially explains the reason the gunner's seat is positioned where it is. Other than providing a commanding view from which he can work effectively, beneath the gunner's feet in a central section are a pair of large ammo bins for the assault cannons. Compensating for the reduced armour, the ammunition is stored here to use the general mechanisms and armour plating for the driver and gunner as protection for those internally stored rounds as well.

### **Miscellaneous**

A more subtle improvement, the augur array on the rear of the vehicle is made for identifying several key factors about the enemies around them and passing on their weaknesses to the crew and other Black Stars in the area. Behind the gunner's seat is a large flattened section of the Vedas-Morden's chassis sloped at slight downward angle. Sitting with it's edges flush into this section is a piece of convex metal slowly rotating as it scans, along with a particularly aggressive machine spirit the result is a accurate but overzealous machine that often needs to be reigned in by it's crew. Despite this zealotry it can predict enemy numbers, formation and possible avenues of escape or attack to try and help it's crew as much as possible.in hunting down the enemies of man.

Secondary to this system is a array of communications antennae that are attached to rear of the vehicle to allow any data gathered to be relayed to command positions while the infantry fighting vehicle continues it's bloody rampage through enemy lines. These take the form of several-metre-long pieces of corded metal wire that have a tendency to bounce and shake with the vehicle as it encounters rough terrain. It has also been noted that there are several examples of legionaries tying down the ends of the flexible antennae to keep them from snagging on terrain and debris while on the battlefield.