vizn3r/warhammer40k-lore huggingface dataset:
Consul Opsequiari - Consul Opsequiari: Consul Opsequiari was an officer rank of the Space Marine Legions used during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy who served as disciplinary officers in many of the more fractious Legions before they were reunited with their primarchs. An Opsequiari was one of several specialty ranks that fell under the generalised banner of the mid-tier Legion officer rank of consul, formally known as a Legiones Consularis in High Gothic, which was awarded to an individual Astartes who was recognised for their unique talents and hard-won skills.The Consul Opsequiari was a battlefield overseer, granted the power of life and death over his brothers. During the Terran Wars of Unification and the early years of the Great Crusade when the Legionaries of the newly formed Space Marine Legions were first introduced to the Imperium's fighting forces, certain less-disciplined and more violent Legions such as the VIth (Space Wolves), XIIth (War Hounds) and XIVth Legions (Death Guard) experienced issues with Legionaries who were bellicose, hot-tempered or often proved fractious.To help curb their worst excesses and to ensure discipline was maintained on the field of battle, a new class of disciplinary officers was created -- the Consul Opsequiari. This Disciplinary Corps served to maintain order in the ranks of the Space Marines, both during and away from battle, as well as curb any attempts to disregard or circumvent orders.The Consuls Opsequiari were selected from among the most stable of the veterans of their Legion and granted the power to execute their battle-brothers when necessary. Clad in utilitarian storm cloud grey power armour bare of any ornamentation, save a squad symbol on their breast and a Terran Raptor Imperialis ornament, these officers carried out their solemn duty within the ranks of the Legion.To further help single them out on the field of battle these individuals were also marked by the distinctive emblem of that oft-maligned order -- the twin flame-blade insignia of the 'Sanghauta' -- which was prominently displayed upon their right shoulder pauldron, the abdominal buckle of their armour and sometimes back banners. This icon was presumably of ancient Terran origin and carried with it a very definite meaning: it clearly displayed the ultimate authority every Consul Opsequiari of a Space Marine Legion had over their brethren.Reorganisations and the changes in Legion culture made upon the reunification of these Legions with their respective primarchs ultimately made this position obsolete before the onset of the Horus Heresy.
Consul Opsequiari - Unit Composition: 1 Consul Opsequiari
Consul Opsequiari - Wargear: Mark II Crusade Power Armour or Mark III Iron Power ArmourBolt PistolBolterKrak GrenadesFrag Grenades
Consul Opsequiari - Legion Specific Variations: Burning Eyes - Within the First Sphere of the Blood Angels Legion, there was a formation of disciplinary officers known as the Ofanim or Burning Eyes. Also known as the "Many-eyed," these secretive warriors were the Angel's Shame, Primarch Sanguinius' secret police and shadow agents. They watched the Astartes of their Legion for signs of treachery and madness and acted to assuage their primarch's guilt for his Legion's affliction by the Red Thirst by removing the stain of those Blood Angels who fell to its genetic curse. Rarely seen on the battlefield, the Ofanim fought alone and with weapons considered unworthy of true warriors.
Consul Opsequiari - Game History: The concept of the Consul Opsequiari was first introduced in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (1st Edition) as a Space Marine specialty unit known as the Field Police on page 168. They primarily wore black power armour and a red helmet with a vertical black and yellow hazard stripe. However, besides the image and the sale of the subsequent Field Police miniature in White Dwarf magazine, nothing else was known about this Space Marine specialist unit.With the release of The Horus Heresy Book Seven: Inferno by Forge World, this obscure specialist unit was brought back into the spotlight as the updated Consul Opsequiari. The updated imagery of the Consul Opsequiari kept some elements of the original 1st Edition artwork including the twin flame-blade insignia of the Sanghauta that was used by the original Field Police.
Consul Opsequiari - Sources: The Horus Heresy Book One: Betrayal (Forge World Series), pg. 86The Horus Heresy Book Seven: Inferno (Forge World Series), pp. 74, 92The Horus Heresy Book Eight: Malevolence (Forge World Series), pp. 124, 129Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (1st Edition), pg. 168
Contagion - Contagion: The Contagion is a Plague Engine of the Lord of Decay, Nurgle. When a Chaos host gathers for war, the followers of Nurgle congregate together, performing depraved ceremonies for their diseased master. With the arrival of the Daemons, the construction of massive engines of war begins.Overseen by the Nurglish acolytes, thousands of twisted and corrupted slaves toil to build the awesome machines of destruction that will spread the plagues of Nurgle to a hundred worlds. Their festering altars are used to provide ammunition for the disgusting Contagion Plague Engines. And all throughout this frenzied activity the constant buzz of insects and the stench of rotting bodies permeates the air. When the war machines of Nurgle are ready, the pestilent Chaos army sets forth upon its dark crusade.
Contagion - Armament: Built by the worshippers of Nurgle, Contagions are formidable plague engines that advance across the battlefield in rows, launching their pestilent ammunition at their enemies with a terrifying scream of plague catapults filling the air. The main weapon of the Contagion is the Plague Catapult, a huge armament which bombards the enemy with chunks of Chaos-saturated stone, clusters of decaying corpses and other disease-infested filth.When these vile bombs impact they spray ichor and infected debris across a wide area. The pestilential aura that surrounds the site of these bombardments fills the air with corruption and the malaise of Nurgle's Rot which quickly spreads across the battlefield. Those who survive the initial bombardment soon contract a variety of other virulent diseases. Their wounds turn gangrenous and they die swiftly, wracked with pain and despair.
Contekar - Contekar: The Contekar, also called the Contekar Elite, were elite units of Terminators within the Night Lords Legion at the time of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. They were deployed as elite shock assault troops who were highly adept at sowing panic and dismay with their arrival, as the Contekar's talents for steadfast ruthlessness in the prosecution of war was much vaunted amongst the other Space Marine Legions during the Great Crusade.Contekar Terminators in truth were nothing more than butchers and murderers of a high order, to be called upon when the VIII Legion wished to bring more than terror but utter and abject despair and destruction upon a foe, to burn their armies, infrastructure and agriculture, and to topple the foundations of their civilisation.A haughty warrior class within the Night Lords Legion, the Contekar was made up of recruits taken from Nostramo's ruling elite, and in their blood lay the corruption and contempt held for the Imperial citizenry by those ignoble potentates. Obsessed with status and hierarchy like their mortal kin, the Contekar kept themselves aloof from the rest of their Legion, deigning only to fight for those leaders they deemed worthy or also possessed of noble Nostraman blood.Indeed, only the first captain and primarch of the VIII Legion could command the Contekar freely. Other officers of the Legion would risk a mighty price for calling upon these elite forces, for the Contekar ever sought to further improve their status in the Legion hierarchy, interpreting any sign of weakness from their commanders as an invitation for an individual Contekar to eliminate a rival and seize control of their command.The Contekar were often dispatched to wrest command from lesser Night Lord leaders whom their commanders deemed unfit to prosecute the Legion's objectives. Such cruel but pragmatic methods were favoured by Night Lords officers like First Captain Jago Sevatarion and others of both the old Terran Legion and the new Nostraman recruits, relying on the brutal skills of the Contekar to lay waste to the enemies of the Night Lords as an example to those of their brethren that might falter in their duties.
Contekar - Unit Composition: 4-14 Contekar1 Dissident (Sergeant)
Contekar - Wargear: Terminator Armour (Any pattern)Heavy FlamerNostraman ChainbladeTeleport HomerVolkite Cavitor (As replacement for Heavy Flamer)Escaton Power Claw (As replacement for the Dissident's Nostraman Chainblade)Trophies of Judgement - The Contekar enjoyed taking grisly trophies of their kills such as skulls, entrails and other body parts to symbolise the judgement they brought and to enhance the demoralising effects of the terror they unleashed upon their victims.
Contekar - Dedicated Transport: Land Raider Phobos or Dreadclaw Drop Pod (5 Contekar Terminators maximum)
Contemptor-Achillus Dreadnought - Contemptor-Achillus Dreadnought: The Contemptor-Achillus Dreadnought is a variant of the standard Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought utilised exclusively by the Legio Custodes during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras. Similar in aspect to the Contemptor Dreadnoughts of the Legiones Astartes of this same era, the Contemptor-Achillus is a markedly superior war machine, outfitted with weapons and systems artificer-made by the servants of the Imperial Court.By the outbreak of the Horus Heresy, the Contemptor-Achillus was the most widely employed Dreadnought pattern by the Legio Custodes, a general battle unit which combined phenomenal strength and speed with the echoes of the interned Custodian's own unmatched martial skill. It is unknown if the Contemptor-Achillus Dreadnought is still in use by the Adeptus Custodes of the 41st Millennium.
Contemptor-Achillus Dreadnought - Role: There is little short of utter destructive force able to fell a Custodian, and thanks to their Emperor-gifted preternatural resilience, there are few injuries that they cannot fully recover from given time. However, in those isolated cases where the body has been all but irrevocably destroyed but the Custodian's mind remains intact and their will to survive undimmed, internment within the cold and unyielding body of a Dreadnought is the next step. For the Custodians, only in death does duty truly end.To this purpose, the few Dreadnoughts of the Legio Custodes were as singularly advanced as their other wargear, with unique variants of more common patterns available to the Legio Astartes refitted to the particular physiology of the Custodians themselves, and outfitted with Artificer-wrought weapons and systems.Though they remained relatively rare, with less than perhaps a hundred Dreadnoughts of the Legio Custodes in service at the time of Primarch Magnus' folly and the subsequent attack on Prospero, they represented a phenomenally powerful concentration of force, most having had their chassis upgraded to the Achillus Pattern, a variant of the Contemptor manufactured with materials and technologies far beyond even the vaunted war machines of the Legiones Astartes.
Contemptor-Achillus Dreadnought - Wargear: Contemptor-Achillus Dreadspear - In addition to their standard armament, such is the dexterity and power of the Achillus Pattern Dreadnoughts of the Legio Custodes that they were able to wield scaled-up versions of the iconic Guardian Spear of their Legio with devastating power.2 Dreadnought Close-Combat Weapons with built-in Lastrum Storm BoltersSmoke LaunchersSearchlightRefractor FieldExtra Armour
Contemptor-Achillus Dreadnought - Optional Wargear: An Achillus Dreadnought may be equipped with the following:Achillus Dreadspear with built-in Corvae Las-PulserAn Achillus Dreadnought may replace any of its Lastrum Storm Bolters with one of the following:Twin-linked Adrathic DestructorInfernus Incinerator
Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought - Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought: The Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought, also known as the Contemptor-Cortus Class Dreadnought, was a variant of the standard Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought that was designed to replace the original Contemptor Prime model in the field. It possessed more robust, but less potent, weapons and sub-systems due to its creation from salvaged components. The Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought is an ancient Imperial cybernetic combat walker used by the Space Marine Legions in the days of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, 10,000 Terran years before the present day.Like the current patterns of Dreadnoughts now in service, the Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought served as a cybernetic sarcophagus for an Astartes who had been so badly wounded in battle that his only chance for continued service to the Emperor lay in being interred within the cybernetic sarcophagus of a Dreadnought. The Contemptor Dreadnought, like much of the technology developed at the dawn of the Imperium of Man, is larger and more powerful than its standard pattern counterparts.This pattern of Dreadnought was once a key part of the earliest Space Marine Legion forces raised on Terra in the late 30th Millennium to initiate the Great Crusade. Such relics are sometimes recovered as archeotech by the Imperium in the late 41st Millennium and then used to supplement the forces of the present-day Space Marine Chapters. It is unknown if any Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought variants still exist in the modern day Imperium, or if the Space Marine Chapters that may possess them would even know the difference between the Cortus and the standard pattern Contemptor.
Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought - History: The Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought was first created during the ancient Ullanor Crusade against the Orks, where it was used to replace the battlefield losses of Legion Dreadnoughts which had far outstripped supply. The Cortus Pattern was created from damaged or wrecked examples of the highly successful original Prime Contemptor pattern, and utilised many of the same base components. However, most of the more sophisticated systems and sub-systems were replaced with robust -- if less potent -- replacement systems that could be more easily fabricated in the field by the Legions. The result was a war machine with its own unique strengths and combat characteristics, but also with a reputation for instability.The Mechanicum strongly disapproved of this ersatz design, and upon the conclusion of the Ullanor Campaign the Contemptor-Cortus Pattern was phased out almost entirely with surviving examples of the Cortus either being decommissioned or put into permanent slumber. Afterwards, the production of new Contemptor-Primes and Castraferrum Pattern Dreadnoughts met the shortfall. The Contemptor-Cortus Pattern was well on its way to being nothing more than a footnote in the annals of the Legiones Astartes, eventually to be forgotten altogether.This would not come to pass, however, for shortly after the great triumph at Ullanor the Horus Heresy would set the galaxy ablaze, and the Contemptor-Cortus would see a resurrection in that grinding interstellar civil war. During the Heresy, many more Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnoughts strode into battle, either as newly constructed models or cannibalised from the remains of Contemptor Primes or Mortis Pattern Contemptors, salvaged from wreckage found all over the galaxy.
Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought - Armament: The standard load-out found on a Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought is a set of twin-linked Heavy Bolters attached to one arm and a massive Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon on the other with a built-in twin-linked Bolter. Smoke Launchers and a Searchlight complete the standard weapons load-out. A Contemptor-Cortus' standard weapons complement can be replaced with a number of different weapons to suit different tactical needs, including a Multi-melta, a set of twin-linked Autocannons, a Plasma Cannon, a Kheres Pattern Assault Cannon, a set of twin-linked Lascannons, a power-leeching Heavy Conversion Beamer, and a Dreadnought Chainfist with a built-in twin-linked Bolter.A Contemptor-Cortus can replace its built-in twin-linked Bolter with a Heavy Flamer, a Plasma Blaster or a Graviton Gun. It can also be outfitted with Extra Armour Plating and a carapace-mounted Havoc Missile Launcher. All Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnoughts are protected by an Atomantic Deflector, which generates a protective gravitic shield around the walker using an advanced Atomantic power core and which provides greater protection from both ranged and melee attacks for the walker. However, when damaged, the Atomantic power generator can overload and result in a devastating miniature atomic explosion that can badly damage nearby allied units.
Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought - Unit Composition: 1-3 Legion Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnoughts
Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought - Wargear: A standard Legion Contemptor-Cortis Dreadnought is armed and equipped with:One set of twin-linked ​Heavy BoltersOne Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon (Dreadnought Powerfist) with in-built twin-linked BolterSmoke LaunchersSearchlightAtomantic DeflectorAny Legion Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought may replace their twin-linked Heavy Bolters and/or its Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon with any of these options:A second Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon (Dreadnought Powerfist) with in-built twin-linked Bolter (Replaces the twin-linked Heavy Bolter Arm Only)A second Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon (Dreadnought Chainfist) with in-built twin-linked Bolter (Replaces the twin-linked Heavy Bolter Arm or Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon Arm with Dreadnought Powerfist)Multi-MeltaHeavy Plasma CannonHeavy Conversion Beamer (Limited to One Only)Kheres Pattern Assault CannonOne set of twin-linked AutocannonsOne set of twin-linked LascannonsOne set of twin-linked Volkite CulverinsAny Legion Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought may replace their in-built twin-linked Bolters from the Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon with any of these options:Heavy FlamerPlasma BlasterGraviton GunMeltagunLegion Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnoughts may also have a variety of vehicle equipment such as:Extra Armour PlatingHavoc Missile Launcher (Carapace-mounted)
Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought - Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications: Contemptor-Cortus Class DreadnoughtVehicle Name:Contemptor-Cortus DreadnoughtMain Armament:One arm-mounted set of twin-linked Heavy BoltersForge World of Origin:N/A (Field Conversion)Secondary Armament:One arm-mounted Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon with inbuilt twin-linked BoltersKnown Patterns:N/ATraverse:360 degreesCrew:1 interred Space MarineElevation:-90° to +90°Powerplant:Atomantic Arc ReactorMain Ammunition:VariableWeight:14.5 TonnesSecondary Ammunition:VariableLength:2.1 metresArmour:Width:3.1 metresHeight:4.5 metresSuperstructure:200 millimetresGround Clearance:N/AHull:75 millimetresMax Speed On-Road:12 kilometres per hourGun Mantlet:180 millimetresMax Speed Off-Road:7 kilometres per hourVehicle Designation:N/ATransport Capacity:N/AFiring Ports:N/AAccess Points:N/ATurret:N/A
Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought - Sources: The Horus Heresy: Book Six - Retribution (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 238-239The Horus Heresy: Legiones Astartes - Age of Darkness Army List (Forge World Series), pp. 38-39Forge World Webstore - Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought Talon (Defunct Site)
Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought - Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought: The Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought is a sub-variant of the Contemptor-Achillus Dreadnought utilised exclusively by the Legio Custodes during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras. Similar in aspect to the Contemptor Dreadnoughts of the Legiones Astartes of this same era, the Contemptor-Galatus is a markedly superior war machine. It is still fielded by the Adeptus Custodes in the 41st Millennium.The unrivaled skills of the transhuman warrior entombed within its sarcophagus notwithstanding, the Contemptor-Galatus is stronger, faster and better-armoured. Armed with a formidable array of weaponry, the Contemptor-Galatus is a potent close-combatant and was nigh unstoppable, even against the heaviest enemy firepower.
Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought - Role: The Contemptor-Galatus was designed to provide a mobile anchor point for a Legio Custodes battleline in the field. To this end, the Galatus was analogous to the specialised Sentinel Guard formations of the Legio Custodes, and is armed with a potent combination of a huge Galatus Warblade and vastly enlarged version of the Praesidium Shield.The warblade allows the Contemptor-Galatus to swiftly and efficiently reap a murderous toll of any massed infantry assault at close-quarters, or indeed hack through armoured vehicles and monstrous xenos with equal ease. It is the defensive power of the hulking Praesidium Shield, however, that is the Contemptor-Galatus' most significant feature, as with it the already durable Contemptor chassis becomes nigh-on impregnable, even against the heaviest of firepower.
Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought - Wargear: Galatus Warblade with built-in twin-linked Infernus Incinerator - A huge Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon in the form of a power sword, the Galatus Warblade is wielded by the Dreadnought as easily as a Sentinel Guard might their own sword. The Galatus' signature weapon is able to shear through ranks of armoured troops with a single pass, while its built-in, twin-linked incinerator units are equally designed to swiftly purge a numerically superior enemy.Dreadnought Praesidium Shield (Horus Heresy era only) - Essentially a scaled-up version of the prototype energy-reinforced battle shield carried by the Sentinel Guard of the Legio Custodes, the Dreadnought Praesidium Shield made the Contemptor-Galatus a truly formidable defensive element in any Legio Custodes battleline; a bulwark upon which the strongest shock attack might break and shatter.Galatus Shield (Present Day)Smoke LaunchersSearchlightRefractor FieldExtra Armour
Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought - Sources: The Horus Heresy - Book Seven: Inferno (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 114, 279, 283Forge World Webstore - Legio Custodes Contemptor-Galatus DreadnoughtForge World Custodes Datasheets
Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought - Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought: The Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought was a unique sub-class of Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought utilised exclusively by the Blood Angels Legion during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras of the 30th and 31st Millennia.What set this class of Contemptor Dreadnought apart from its peers was its use of an external Incaendius Booster Pack secured to its back that allowed it to be utilised as an elite heavy assault unit in heavily contested drop zones.This enabled the Blood Angels to employ them from low orbit or make a one-off leap right into the heart of their enemy's ranks.It is not known if the Blood Angels Chapter of the late 41st Millennium still maintains any examples of this relic class of Dreadnought within their Chapter's armoury.
Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought - Role: The Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought was a sub-class of the Contemptor Dreadnought chassis manufactured only within the Mechanicum enclave that clung to the irradiated surface of Baal's first moon, under ancient treaty with the great Forge World of Anvillus.Similar in most respects to the widely used Contemptor chassis, the Incaendius differed in one key aspect: the external Incaendius Booster Pack secured to its back.This volatile, single-burn magneto-plasma engine was powerful enough to decelerate the Dreadnought in a fall from low orbit or to propel it in a shallow leap at significant velocity despite the bulk of its armour and ceramite endoskeleton.It served the Blood Angels Legion as a shock assault unit of unparalleled ferocity, for the half-dead warrior entombed within suffered none of the disorientation such tactics inflicted on the living.Most commonly, such vehicles were armed with weapons designed for battle at close ranges, with Flamers and the so-called Talons of Perdition being preferred, though some had been known to employ the prototype Iliastus Pattern Assault Cannon.These weapons were well-suited to the Dreadnought's role, which was to secure a heavily contested drop zone for the Blood Angels' infantry that followed on its heels. Those enemies that survived the impact of its arrival were given no opportunity to fortify their position or to fall back in good order.
Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought - Unit Composition: 1 Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought
Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought - Wargear: 2 Talons of Perdition with built-in Heavy FlamersSmoke LaunchersSearchlightAtomantic ShieldingArmoured CeramiteIncaendius Booster Pack
Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought - Optional Wargear: A Contemptor-Incaendius may replace either built-in Heavy Flamer with one of the following:MeltagunIliastus Pattern Assault CannonA Contemptor-Incaendius may replace either of its Talons of Perdition with the following:Dreadnought Close Combat WeaponExtra Armour
Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought - Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought: The Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought, also known as the Contemptor-Mortis Class Dreadnought, was a variant of the standard Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought, specifically the original Contemptor Prime model, that possessed two ranged weapon arms. The Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought is an ancient Imperial cybernetic combat walker used by the Space Marine Legions in the days of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, 10,000 Terran years before the present day. Like the current patterns of Dreadnoughts now in service, the Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought served as a cybernetic sarcophagus for an Astartes who had been so badly wounded in battle that his only chance for continued service to the Emperor lay in being interred within the cybernetic sarcophagus of a Dreadnought.The Contemptor Dreadnought, like much of the technology developed at the dawn of the Imperium of Man, is larger and more powerful than its standard pattern counterparts. This pattern of Dreadnought was once a key part of the earliest Space Marine Legion forces raised on Terra in the late 30th Millennium to initiate the Great Crusade. Such relics are sometimes recovered as archeotech by the Imperium in the late 41st Millennium and then used to supplement the forces of the present-day Space Marine Chapters.
Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought - History: In the time of the Great Crusade, Dreadnought combat walkers primarily served as heavy assault units and highly mobile weapons support platforms for the Space Marine Legions. They were highly valued for their ability to endure under very heavy enemy fire and to operate in locations and theatres where traditional combat support vehicles would be impractical or downright impossible to use. The Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought used the more advanced Contemptor chassis as a potent carrier of heavy weapons. It was able to target and destroy the foe at close range and was also outfitted with an advanced Helical Targeting Array that allowed it to provide a Space Marine spearhead force with close anti-air support when needed. During the last years of the Great Crusade, the Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought was widely used by both the Dark Angels and Iron Warriors Legions, although it was used to some extent by all of the Astartes Legions during this era. Ten standard millennia later, there remain several Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnoughts that are still operational. They are revered both as potent relics of the Imperium's Golden Age and as powerful weapons by those few Space Marine Chapters lucky enough to still possess them.
Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought - Armament: The Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought differs from the standard pattern Contemptor Dreadnought only in being outfitted with two ranged-weapons arms as a standard weapon load-out along with the integration of a Helical Targeting Array that allows the Dreadnought to unleash its heavy weapons as dedicated anti-aircraft support. The standard load-out of the Contemptor-Mortis was two sets of twin-linked Heavy Bolters, along with Smoke Launchers and a Searchlight. The walker's Heavy Bolters could be replaced with several different weapons, including a set of twin-linked Autocannons, a set of twin-linked Lascannons, a set of Multi-Meltas or a set of Kheres Pattern Assault Cannons. The Contemptor-Mortis could also be outfitted with Extra Armour Plating and a carapace-mounted Havoc Missile Launcher. In the late 41st Millennium the Contemptor-Mortis can be equipped with a carapace-mounted Cyclone Missile Launcher instead of the Havoc Missile Launcher.The Mortis Dreadnought was the Castraferrum Pattern Dreadnought's version of the Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought, although many of this version lacked the Helical Targeting Array that allowed the Contemptor-Mortis to engage enemy aircraft, along with being built upon the less advanced Castraferrum chassis.
Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought - Unit Composition: 1 Relic Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought (41st Millennium Only)1 Legion Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought (31st Millennium Only)
Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought - Wargear: A standard Relic Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought is armed and equipped with:2 twin-linked ​Heavy Bolters​Atomantic ShieldingAny Relic Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought may replace its twin-linked Heavy Bolters with these options:2 Multi-Meltas2 twin-linked Lascannons2 twin-linked Autocannons2 Heavy Plasma Cannons2 Kheres Pattern Assault CannonsRelic Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnoughts may also possess vehicle equipment such as:Smoke Launchers​SearchlightExtra Armour Plating Cyclone Missile Launcher (carapace-mounted)
Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought - Horus Heresy Era Wargear: During the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras the Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnoughts of the Legiones Astartes featured many more loadout options than those relics that still exist in the 41st Millennium.A standard Legion Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought is armed and equipped with:2 twin-linked Heavy BoltersAtomantic ShieldingSmoke LaunchersSearchlightAtomantic ShieldingHelical Targeting ArrayAny Legion Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought may replace both of their twin-linked Heavy Bolters with any of these options:2 Multi-Meltas2twin-linked Lascannons2 twin-linked Autocannons2 Kheres Pattern Assault CannonsA Legiones Astartes Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnoughts may also possess vehicle equipment such as:Extra Armour PlatingArmoured Ceramite Plating1-2 Hunter-Killer Missile LaunchersHavoc Missile Launcher (carapace-mounted)
Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought - Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications: Contemptor-Mortis Class DreadnoughtVehicle Name:Contemptor-Mortis DreadnoughtMain Armament:Two arm-mounted sets of twin-linked Heavy BoltersForge World of Origin:MarsSecondary Armament:N/AKnown Patterns:N/ATraverse:360 degreesCrew:1 interred Space MarineElevation:-90° to +90°Powerplant:Atomantic Arc ReactorMain Ammunition:VariableWeight:14.5 TonnesSecondary Ammunition:N/ALength:2.1 metresArmour:Width:3.1 metresHeight:4.5 metresSuperstructure:200 millimetresGround Clearance:N/AHull:75 millimetresMax Speed On-Road:12 kilometres per hourGun Mantlet:180 millimetresMax Speed Off-Road:7 kilometres per hourVehicle Designation:N/ATransport Capacity:N/AFiring Ports:N/AAccess Points:N/ATurret:N/A
Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought - Sources: The Horus Heresy: Book One - Betrayal (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 99, 170, 174, 177, 180, 200The Horus Heresy: Book Two - Massacre (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 78, 170, 193-195The Horus Heresy: Book Three - Extermination (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 171The Horus Heresy: Book Four - Conquest (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 197, 217, 222The Horus Heresy: Book Five - Tempest (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 155The Horus Heresy: Legiones Astartes - Crusade Army List (Forge World Series), pp. 28-29The Horus Heresy: Legiones Astartes - Age of Darkness Army List (Forge World Series), pp. 9, 36-37Imperial Armour Volume 2 Second Edition - Warmachines of the Adeptus Astartes, pp. 24, 176, 179Imperial Armour Volume 13 - Warmachines of the Lost and the Damned, pg. 108Imperial Armour Index: Forces of the Adeptus Astartes (8th Edition), pg. 26
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought - Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought: A Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought is an ancient Imperial cybernetic combat walker used by the Space Marine Legions in the days of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, 10,000 Terran years before the present day.Like the current patterns of Dreadnought, the Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought served as a cybernetic sarcophagus for an Astartes who had been so badly wounded in battle that his only chance for continued service to the Emperor lay in being interred within the cybernetic sarcophagus of a Dreadnought.The Contemptor Pattern, like much of the technology developed at the dawn of the Imperium of Man, is larger and more powerful than its standard pattern counterparts. The Contemptor Dreadnought was once a key part of the earliest Space Marine Legion forces raised on Terra in the late 30th Millennium to initiate the Great Crusade.Such relics are sometimes recovered as archeotech by the Imperium in the late 41st Millennium and then used to supplement the forces of the present-day Space Marine Chapters.The few of these Dreadnoughts that can still be awoken are wonders of a different era, walking reminders of a time when the Emperor strode the galaxy and the Imperium was a bright hope. They may be few in number, but Mankind's enemies still tremble at their approach.
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought - History: The Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought was once a staple of the armoured might of the Space Marine Legions first raised on Terra following the end of the Unification Wars. Evidence of their ancient origins exist in the forms of sacred Chapter memento mori and other Imperial monuments raised long ago on worlds such as Necromunda and Lorin Alpha. This suggests that the Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought played an integral part in the earliest Astartes forces raised on Terra for the Great Crusade.A more powerful combat walker than the current patterns of Dreadnought in service with the Adeptus Astartes in the late 41st Millennium, the Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought featured many technological systems that found a parallel in the combat robots of the ancient Legio Cybernetica, including such fabled techno-arcana as Atomantic Field Generator technology that would later be refined and incorporated into the Storm Shields used by Space Marine Terminators and other, now-lost, secrets from the Dark Age of Technology that were meshed with the Contemptor's basic systems.Another interesting aspect of the Contemptor Pattern was the design of the Dreadnought's head. The oversized metal helm possessed the precious cargo of sensor nodes and visual auspex and pict-finders linked to the foetal corpse curled deeper within. The Contemptor was fashioned with the simulacrum of a head to focus its pilot's awareness forwards. It helped to create an impression within the corpse's neurological sensory input/output that it was still alive, for it saw the outside world just as it had seen it in life: from a human perspective, albeit from a much taller vantage point than in the wounded Astartes' previously organic form.During the height of the Great Crusade, the Contemptor served alongside the Castraferrum Pattern Dreadnought as a spearhead unit for the Legiones Astartes. During the Horus Heresy and the wars that followed in its wake like the Great Scouring, they bore the brunt of the fighting by Dreadnoughts in every theatre and as a result suffered the heaviest losses.Like so many of the Imperium's most advanced and sophisticated war-fighting technologies, the ability to manufacture and maintain the Contemptor Dreadnought was essentially lost in the chaotic aftermath of the Heresy, though there exist reports of Contemptor Pattern Dreadnoughts being regularly fielded by First Founding Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes as late as the 36th Millennium.The few Contemptor Dreadnoughts that remain in service in the 41st Millennium are incredibly rare relics of archeotech even in comparison to their fellow Dreadnoughts. But when they take to the field, it is as a living reminder of the Golden Age of the Imperium when the Emperor still walked amongst Mankind, and the foes of Humanity tremble at the sight of its ancient glory.
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought - Armament: The standard Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought is outfitted with a twin-linked Heavy Bolter attached to one arm and a massive Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon on the other with a built-in twin-linked Bolter. Smoke Launchers and a Searchlight complete the standard weapons load-out.A Contemptor's standard weapons complement can be replaced with a number of different weapons to suit different tactical needs, including a Multi-melta, a set of twin-linked Autocannons, a Plasma Cannon, a Kheres Pattern Assault Cannon, a twin-linked Lascannon, a power-leeching Heavy Conversion Beamer, and a Chainfist with a built-in, twin-linked Bolter. A Contemptor can replace its built-in twin-linked Bolter with a Heavy Flamer, a Plasma Blaster or a Graviton Gun.It can be outfitted with Extra Armour Plating and a carapace-mounted Havoc Missile Launcher. All Contemptor Dreadnoughts are protected by advanced Atomantic Shielding which generates a protective gravitic shield around the walker using an advanced Atomantic Power Generator and that provides greater protection from both ranged and melee attacks for the walker. However, when damaged, the Atomantic Power Generator can overload and result in a devastating miniature atomic explosion which can badly damage nearby allied units.Some rare examples of Contemptor Pattern Dreadnoughts have been known to carry strange and singular weapons that find their origins in the Dark Age of Technology such as the Kheres Pattern Assault Cannon, considered by some Imperial savants of the techno-arcane to be the forerunner of the Terminators' Assault Cannon, compact Plasma Blasters capable of being fitted to the carapace of a Dreadnought and Gravity Flux Weapons like the Graviton Gun whose secrets were ultimately lost during the civil war between the sects of the Adeptus Mechanicus known as the Schism of Mars at the outset of the Horus Heresy.
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought - Unit Composition: 1 Relic Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought (41st Millennium Only)1 Venerable Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought (41st Millennium Only, Adeptus Custodes Only)1-3 Legion Contemptor Pattern Dreadnoughts (31st Millennium Only)
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought - Wargear: The Relic Adeptus Astartes Contemptor Dreadnoughts are armed and equipped with:Two Dreadnought Close Combat Weapons (Contemptor Dreadnought Powerfists) with built-in Storm BoltersAtomantic ShieldingRelic Contemptor Dreadnoughts may replace one or both of their Dreadnought Close Combat Weapons (Contemptor Dreadnought Powerfists) with built-in Storm Bolters with any of these options:Dreadnought Close Combat Weapons (Contemptor Dreadnought Chainfist) with built-in Storm BoltersRelic Contemptor Dreadnoughts may replace one or both of their built-in Storm Bolters with any of these options:Heavy FlamerPlasma BlastgunGraviton BlasterRelic Contemptor Dreadnoughts may replace one or both of their Dreadnought Close Combat Weapons (Contemptor Dreadnought Powerfists) with in-built Storm Bolters with any of these options:Twin-linked Heavy BoltersTwin-linked LascannonsTwin-linked AutocannonsMulti-MeltaHeavy Plasma CannonKheres Pattern Assault CannonHeavy Conversion Beamer (C-beam Cannon)
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought - Venerable Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought: The Contemptor Pattern Dreadnoughts of the Adeptus Custodes feature a different load-out than those used by the Adeptus Astartes.A Venerable Contemptor Dreadnought is armed and equipped with:1 Multi-Melta1 Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon with built-in Combi-BolterAtomantic ShieldingA Venerable Contemptor Dreadnought may replace their Multi-Melta with:Kheres Pattern Assault Cannon
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought - Horus Heresy Wargear: A standard Legion Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought of this ancient era is armed and equipped with:Twin-linked Heavy BoltersDreadnought Close Combat Weapon (Dreadnought Powerfist) with built-in twin-linked BolterSmoke LaunchersSearchlightAtomantic ShieldingAny Legion Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought may replace their twin-linked Heavy Bolters with any of these options:A second Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon (Dreadnought Powerfist) with built-in twin-linked BolterDreadnought Close Combat Weapon (Dreadnought Chainfist) with built-in twin-linked BolterMulti-MeltaPlasma CannonHeavy Conversion BeamerKheres Pattern Assault CannonTwin-linked AutocannonsTwin-linked LascannonsTwin-linked Volkite CulverinsAny Legion Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought may replace their Dreadnought Close Combat (Dreadnought Powerfist) with any of these options:Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon (Dreadnought Chainfist) with built-in twin-linked BolterMulti-MeltaPlasma CannonKheres Pattern Assault CannonTwin-linked AutocannonsTwin-linked LascannonsTwin-linked Heavy BoltersTwin-linked Volkite CulverinsAny Legion Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought may replace the built-in twin-linked Bolters from their Dreadnought Close Combat Weapons with any of these options:Heavy FlamerPlasma BlasterGraviton GunMeltagunCombi-bolterLegiones Astartes' Contemptor Pattern Dreadnoughts may also have a variety of vehicle equipment such as:Extra Armour PlatingHavoc Missile Launcher (carapace-mounted)
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought - Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought: In the time of the Great Crusade, Dreadnought combat walkers primarily served as heavy assault units and highly mobile weapons support platforms for the Space Marine Legions. They were highly valued for their ability to endure under very heavy enemy fire and to operate in locations and theatres where traditional combat support vehicles would be impractical or downright impossible to use.The Contemptor-Mortis sub-pattern used the more advanced Contemptor chassis as a potent carrier of heavy weapons. It was able to target and destroy the foe at close range and was also outfitted with an advanced Helical Targeting Array that allowed it to provide a Space Marine spearhead force with close anti-air support when needed. During the last years of the Great Crusade, the Contemptor-Mortis sub-pattern was widely used by both the Dark Angels and Iron Warriors Legions, although it was used to some extent by all of the Astartes Legions during this era.Ten millennia later, there remain several Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnoughts that are still operational. They are revered both as potent relics of the Imperium's Golden Age and as powerful weapons by those few Space Marine Chapters lucky enough to still possess them.The Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought differs from the standard pattern Contemptor Dreadnought only in being outfitted with two ranged-weapons arms as a standard weapon load-out along with the integration of a Helical Targeting Array that allows the Dreadnought to unleash its heavy weapons as dedicated anti-aircraft support.
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought - Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought: The Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnought was first created during the ancient Ullanor Crusade against the Orks, where they were used to replace the battlefield losses in Legion Dreadnoughts which had far outstripped supply. The Cortus Pattern was created from damaged or wrecked examples of the highly successful original "Prime" Contemptor Pattern, and utilised many of the base components.However, a large number of the more sophisticated systems and sub-systems were replaced with robust -- if less potent -- replacements that could be more easily fabricated in the field by the Legions. The result was a war machine with its own unique strengths and combat characteristics, but also with a reputation for instability.The ancient Mechanicum, however, strongly disapproved of this ersatz design, and upon the conclusion of the Ullanor Campaign the Cortus Pattern was phased out almost entirely from the Imperial arsenal, with surviving examples of the Cortus either decommissioned or put into permanent slumber. Afterwards the production of new Contemptor-Primes and Castraferrum Pattern Dreadnoughts met the shortfall. The Cortus Pattern was well on its way to being nothing more than a footnote in the annals of the Legiones Astartes, eventually to be forgotten altogether.This would not come to pass, however, for shortly after the great triumph at Ullanor the Horus Heresy would set the galaxy ablaze, and the Contemptor-Cortus would see a resurrection in that grinding interstellar civil war. During the Horus Heresy many more Contemptor-Cortus Dreadnoughts strode into battle, either as newly constructed models or cannibalised Prime or Mortis Pattern Contemptors, salvaged from wreckage found all over the galaxy.
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought - Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought: The Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought is a sub-class of the Contemptor Dreadnought chassis manufactured only within the ancient Mechanicum enclave that clung to the irradiated surface of Baal's first moon, under ancient treaty with the great Forge World of Anvillus.Similar in most respects to the widely used Contemptor chassis, the Incaendius differed in one key aspect: the external Incaendius Booster Pack secured to its back. This volatile, single-burn magneto-plasma engine was powerful enough to decelerate the Dreadnought in a fall from low orbit or to propel it in a shallow leap at significant velocity despite the bulk of its armour and ceramite endoskeleton.It served the Blood Angels Legion exclusively as a shock assault unit of unparalleled ferocity, for the half-dead warrior entombed within suffered none of the disorientation such tactics inflicted on the living.Most commonly, such vehicles were armed with weapons designed for battle at close ranges, with Flamers and the so-called Talons of Perdition being preferred, though some had been known to employ the prototype Iliastus Pattern Assault Cannon.These weapons were well-suited to the Dreadnought's role, which was to secure a heavily contested drop zone for the Blood Angels' infantry that followed on its heels. Those enemies that survived the impact of its arrival were given no opportunity to fortify their position or to fall back in good order.
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought - Chapter Specific Contemptor Pattern Dreadnoughts: The following are Contemptor Dreadnoughts that are only used by certain Space Marine Chapters:
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought - Blood Angels Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought: The Blood Angels Chapter and its Successors have long been considered unique amongst the Adeptus Astartes as a result of their history and much of their wargear, as well as for their armoury and the "taint" that some whisper hangs over the Blood Angels and their Brethren since the death of their Primarch Sanguinius during the Battle of Terra at the end of the Heresy.At the end of the Great Crusade, the Blood Angels Legion fielded a large number of Contemptor Pattern Dreadnoughts in its ranks, which had been optimised for close assault duties as was always the tactical preference of that Legion. Very few of these walkers survived the horrors of the Horus Heresy that followed.In the millennia afterwards, the Furioso Dreadnought came to dominate amongst the ranks of the Blood Angels' Dreadnought brothers and what Contemptor Dreadnought remained had been distributed to the Blood Angels' Successor Chapters as living monuments to both the triumphs and the tragedy that defined the Blood Angels Legion's past. They became living monuments of war intended to tie Blood Angels Astartes yet unborn to the fragile and fading memory of the lost glories of Sanguinius.The Blood Angels Contemptor Dreadnought is largely identical to the standard Contemptor with only a few key differences. The Blood Angels variant is optimised for close assault combat and so replaces the standard Contemptor's weapons load-out with two Blood Fists (Blood Angels variants of the Power Fist) with built-in Storm Bolters and Smoke Launchers.It can replace its Blood Fists with Blood Talons (Blood Angels variants of Lightning Claws) and can also make use of a carapace-mounted Magna-Grapple. Unfortunately, like all Blood Angels Astartes, the Space Marine within this Dreadnought can still fall victim to the Chapter's Flaw known as the Black Rage.
Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought - Adeptus Custodes Contemptor Dreadnoughts: The following is a list of Contemptor Dreadnoughts used by the Adeptus Custodes, including the: