vizn3r/warhammer40k-lore huggingface dataset:
Mal'caor Shi - Mal'caor Shi: The Mal'caor Shi is the T'au Air Caste naval force and high command for the detachment of the T'au Protection Fleet or Kor'vattra that defends the T'au Empire's Velk'Han Sept within the Jericho Reach.The Mal'caor Shi fleet's operations and control cadre fall under the jurisdiction of the celebrated Air Caste leader High Admiral Kor'O Y'eldi, a name translating roughly into "the winged one" in Low Gothic.
Mal'caor Shi - Kor'O Y'eldi: High Admiral Y'eldi is a veteran of many battles, though it is his greatest regret that he was born too late to participate in the battles of the Damocles Gulf Crusade that saved T'au space from Imperial conquest. Despite this, Y'eldi has made it his life's work to study accounts of those battles in an effort to learn every last doctrine and tactic utilised by the Imperial Navy, and to have a counter for them all.Y'eldi's first battles were against Human pirates operating to the galactic north of the T'au Empire and he was highly successful in countering their depredations and expanding the borders of the empire's domains into the region.Less than a solar decade later, Y'eldi was granted the rank of Kor'O and given responsibility for the Air Caste's portion of the mission to explore and exploit the Jericho Reach, and he now faces the greatest challenge of his career in pitting his command skills against those of some of the most fearsome fleet commanders the Imperium has to offer.High Admiral Y'eldi's fleet operates out of a deep space facility spinward of Krrk'tikit, a vast conglomeration of cold-core way stations and sidereal-locked void-wharfs known simply as Anchorage 12.This location fulfills many roles, including fleet headquarters, primary staging zone, logistics hub, and training centre, and it guards the rimward terminus of the Landfall-Black Reef passage.
Mal'caor Shi - Ships of the Fleet: At any one time, thousands of T'au starships are to be found at anchor at Anchorage 12, from the mighty Hero-class to the ubiquitous Defenders and Messengers.Anchorage 12 is equipped with substantial void-docking facilities and is able to repair and refit vessels damaged in battle against the Imperial Navy, and its spinward zones are utilised as training and proving grounds for new crews and vessels.The mainstay starship of the Mal'caor Shi T'au fleet is the Lar'shi, or "Hero" class, a vessel developed in the aftermath of the defence of the Damocles Gulf as a match for the Imperium's Lunar-class Cruiser, the most common warship of its type in the Imperial Navy.Under Y'eldi's leadership, the Hero-class vessels of the Mal'caor have undergone a series of upgrades designed to increase their effectiveness in the battlegrounds of the Jericho Reach. Many of these improvements relate to the vessel's gravimetric handling capabilities, deemed essential given the unpredictable conditions in the vicinity of the Black Reef that lies close to, and protects, the worlds of the Velk'Han Sept.Other upgrades have been made in an effort to gain a range of advantages against specific Imperial warship classes, and involve the balancing of defensive, offensive, speed and manoeuvrability factors. The greatest challenge facing High Admiral Y'eldi is not any one class of Imperial warship, but the sheer number of vessels the Imperium can bring to bear against his forces.It is Y'eldi's belief that the Imperium's approach to naval warfare relies more on quantity, firepower, and attrition than the quality and expertise of its vessels and its crews, yet this is complicated by the presence of the Adeptus Astartes and their fleets.Y'eldi refuses to expose his forces to attritional battles and schools his captains that a tactical withdrawal is far preferable to a pointless last stand, a doctrine that many of his foes, thankfully, do not adhere to.In truth, Y'eldi's task would be far more arduous were it not for the fact that the vast bulk of the Imperium's forces are engaged in the battles of the Acheros Salient and he knows that were they to redeploy to the Canis Salient, his position would be very different.The arrival of Hive Fleet Dagon has brought with it a new range of challenges. Fortunately, the T'au are an adaptable species and Y'eldi has not been slow to react. Initial contacts with Tyranid bio-ships were disastrous for the T'au, whose vessels proved highly vulnerable to enemy boarding actions.Y'eldi's response was to ensure that only the fastest and most manoeuvrable of his vessels are committed to combat against the Tyranids, so that they can outrun the enemy and avoid becoming engaged in the type of close-ranged battle that is likely to result in the T'au ships being overrun by swarms of Tyranid creatures.In mitigation against the likelihood that some enemy are still likely to affect a boarding action, Y'eldi has ordered specially configured Fire Caste marine cadres stationed in all T'au vessels under his command, and these have proven successful in repelling many attempts to board their ships.
Malakim Phoros - Malakim Phoros: Malakim Phoros is the Chapter Master of the Lamenters, and is also known as the Lord of Ruin and the Watcher of the Deeps. Phoros is a living example of both his brethren's grief and their resilience. A figure of awe and reverence for his Chapter, Phoros struggled to contain the Black Rage that permeates his Chapter's soul. In battle he is a fierce sight to behold, his control slipping as he goes to the brink of being consumed by the Black Rage several times only to pull himself back from the abyss. He willingly followed Lufgt Huron and his Renegade Astral Claws into the Secession of the Maelstrom Zone from the Imperium, which devolved into the infamous conflict known as the Badab War. Phoros was believed slain during the destruction of his Battle Barge when the Lamenters were battered into submission by the Minotaurs Chapter. Rumours persist that he has since rejoined his Battle-Brothers in exile, but such stories cannot be confirmed.
Malakim Phoros - History: Malakim Phoros earned the moniker "Lord of Ruin" for the palpable aura of grief and bitter hatred that surrounded and suffused him, steeling his followers with near-suicidal determination and filling the hearts of their enemies with despair. A figure of awe and reverence for his Chapter, his Battle-Brothers would follow him into fire and death without a second thought. To a casual observer the Lamenter's Chapter Master is like a statue of an Imperial saint given life due to his fair face and ancient gold and chequy Power Armour, but beneath this calm exterior lay a bitter emptiness and an indomitable will that he used to maintain his self-control to keep the darkness within at bay. There were whispers that his control was slipping, as he had already nearly been swallowed by the Black Rage several times only to pull himself back from the brink through his sheer force of will. As each such incident continued to sap a little more of Phoros' sanity it was inevitable that he would eventually fall to the Lamenters' curse and be lost to his Battle-Brothers forever.A survivor of the ill-fated destruction of the Space Hulk Unhallowed Heart, Malakim Phoros had long held a distrust of the bureaucrats of the Adeptus Terra after the castigation of his Chapter and the centuries of distrust and opprobrium they had faced. It was this flaw that proved to be the Lamenters' downfall when Lufgt Huron exploited this anger and suspicion to gain their support for the Badab Secession and the Tyrant's cause. Malakim Phoros was believed slain during the destruction of the Battle Barge Daughter of Tempests during the Battle of Optera in 908.M41 when the Minotaurs Chapter battered the Lamenters into submission. Since the end of the Badab War in 912.M41, certain rumours have persisted that Phoros somehow survived, floating unseen in the wreckage to be eventually recovered and join his brethren in exile, though these rumours have yet to be substantiated.
Malakim Phoros - Wargear: Artificer ArmourCatechist - The Catechist is an ancient Infernus Pistol used by Malakim Phoros in battle.Glaive Encarmine - A Glaive Encarmine is a two-handed, master-crafted Power Weapon in the form of a powerful glaive often used by the Blood Angels' Sanguinary Guard.Frag GrenadesKrak GrenadesIron Halo
Malan'tai - Malan'tai: Malan'taiCraftworldAeldariTyranidHive Fleet NagaZoanthropeDoom of Malan'taiThe derelict Craftworld became nothing more than a drifting, lifeless husk floating through the void. In 994.M41, Craftworld Iyanden came to Malan'tai to see if its people could find anything of use to help with repairs of their home after their recent battle with Hive Fleet Kraken, but instead, they found the abandoned Craftworld swarming with vile Orks.When the Aeldari finally regained control of Malan'tai, they discovered that the Orks had stolen or destroyed anything of use. With heavy hearts, they altered the abandoned Craftworld's course towards the nearest sun and headed home.
Malan'tai - Early Years: In the early years, following the catastrophic event of the Fall, the Craftworld Malan'tai grievously suffered the predations of Ork raiders. This forced the Aeldari of Malan'tai to fortify their vessel, which became nothing less than a mobile fortress bristling with formidable defences to counter the threat. Eventually, Malan'tai formed an alliance with its sister Craftworlds, Iyanden and Idharae.
Malan'tai - The Naga Strikes: In 808.M41, a large splintered tendril of Hive Fleet Behemoth, later designated as Hive Fleet Naga -- known to the Aeldari as Shai'naid, the "Endless Winding Serpent" -- encroached upon a concentration of Aeldari worlds in the Ybaric Cluster, which lay beyond the eastern fringe of the Vidar Sector. To their credit, Malan'tai, and its sister Craftworlds of Iyanden and Idharae, responded almost immediately, but even so, they were too slow.By the time the first Aeldari fleets had engaged Hive Fleet Naga, Halathel, largest and most prosperous of the Exodite worlds, was all but overrun by Tyranids. Even with aid of forces from Malan'tai and Idharae, the Exodites could not repel the invaders. Iyanden's forces, under the command of Admiral Draech, arrived at Halathel to discover its World Spirit destroyed and its defenders consumed. Determined to exact vengeance for Halathel, the Iyanden fleet engaged the orbiting Hive Ships, but underestimated the menace of their foes. Draech's flagship, the Auspicious Illumination of Eternity, was destroyed early in the battle, and for a time, it seemed that the whole Aeldari fleet would be lost alongside it. Only when a young Prince named Yriel took command did the tide of battle turn.Realising that the smaller Tyranid vessels could not function if the greater Bio-Ships were destroyed, Yriel converged his forces on these targets, but it was only when the Prince unleashed boarding parties to destroy the living starships from within that he meet with success. Though many Aeldari lives were lost and hundred of Ghost Warriors destroyed, the ships were finally slain. With their passing, the smaller Tyranid vessels flew into an uncoordinated frenzy and were easy prey.Though the strength of Hive Fleet Naga had been greatly diminished, its threat was not yet ended. Over the following years, Yriel's forces joined with those of Malan'tai and Idharae to fight hundreds of engagements against the Tyranids, both in the cold dark of space and amidst the horror of partially-digested worlds. Little by little, the Tyranids were scoured from the Ybaric Cluster, and victory was at last won -- though not without great cost. Idharae, which was never the most populous of Craftworlds to begin with, lost many of its warriors defending the Maiden World of Eth-aelas, and its halls were ever after empty and joyless places. Malan'tai would suffer a far worse fate.
Malan'tai - The Doom of Malan'tai: The Aeldari legend of the "Doom of Malan'tai" refers not only to the tale of an entire Craftworld's death, but also to the abominable Tyranid creature that caused it -- to the Aeldari, the two are indistinguishable. The lament speaks of a Tyranid creature unlike any other, a beast that gorged not upon flesh and blood, but upon the life-force of its victims, leaving only soulless oblivion in its wake.The Doom of Malan'tai was an adaptation of the Zoanthrope bioform, and its weak physical appearance belied its true horror. So it was that, when a lone, wounded bio-ship invaded Craftworld Malan'tai, the Aeldari did not at first realise that the true threat lay not with the towering Tyranid monsters rampaging through their home, but with the unassuming creature left relatively unhindered to feed on Aeldari souls.As it fed, the Doom of Malan'tai's power grew, the absorbed life-energy enhancing its fearsome psychic might. Once it had gorged on the spirits of the Craftworld's Infinity Circuit, it was nigh invulnerable, possessing the power to pulp Aeldari warriors, snap Wraithbone war-constructs, and shatter towering spires with cataclysmic bolts of psychic energy.It was all that the few Aeldari survivors could do to escape Malan'tai, a Craftworld found adrift in space many standard years later, reduced to nought but a cold, lifeless shell. Of the loathsome creature that had brought about its destruction, there was no sign.
Malan'tai - The Battle of the Ghost Halls: In 800.M41, a dire vision from the Prognosticars resulted in a Grey Knights Space Marine strike force being despatched to a point in space where no worlds were known to exist. On arrival, the strike force encountered the massive, bio-acid scorched hulk of Craftworld Malan'tai.Though its inhabitants were all but been destroyed by Tyranids, Malan'tai was not so empty as it first appeared. The ancient Keeper of Secrets N'kari and his kind stalked the fallen halls, growing bloated with power on Aeldari Spirit Stones. To fight such a foe would ordinarily be beyond even the Grey Knights, but the Prognosticars dictated more than the location of this new threat -- they also bade Brother-Captain Pelenas to take as many Purifiers as he could muster.As the Grey Knights launched their assault on the despoiled Malan'tai, the Purifiers led the charge, a bow wave of cleansing azure flame preceding their advance. The fire roared through the desolate halls like a hungry spirit, crackling and growing as it consumed the daemons in its path, scattering those hellspawn that survived and leaving them ripe prey for the advancing Grey Knights. N'kari was finally cornered in the shattered Dome of Crystal Seers.The Greater Daemon fought with fury -- in a matter of moments his spear claimed the lives of a dozen Purifiers and struck down Pelenas. Yet, before the daemon could strike the killing blow on the fallen Brother-Captain, Justicar Anval Thawn threw himself into the daemon's path and was laid low in his Captain's place.With N'kari's weapon momentarily trapped in the prison of Thawn's flesh, the surviving Purifiers were able to complete the ritual of Twelve Bloody Swords, which drained N'kari of his stolen power and left him vulnerable to Pelenas' deathblow. In the battle's aftermath, the bulk of the Grey Knights strike force returned to Titan with the bodies of the fallen. A score of Purifiers remained aboard the Craftworld, standing guard over the empty halls until contact could be made with another Aeldari Craftworld, and the recovery of the remaining Spirit Stones could begin.
Malan'tai - The Fate of Malan'tai: In 994.M41, Iyanden Farseer Taec Silvereye sent an expedition to Malan'tai, with the goal of salvaging anything that could be used to speed Iyanden's repairs following their recent battle with Hive Fleet Kraken. Unfortunately, the abandoned Craftworld was now found to be swarming with Orks. When the Aeldari finally regained control of Malan'tai, they discovered that the Orks had already stolen or destroyed anything of use. With heavy hearts, they altered the Craftworld's course towards the nearest sun and headed home.
Malan'tai - Canon Conflict: According to Codex: Tyranids (5th Edition), the destruction of Malan'tai took place circa 808.M41 or 812.M41. This conflicts with Codex: Grey Knights (5th Edition), as the Grey Knights supposedly encountered the ruin of Malan'tai in the aftermath of its destruction, in 800.M41.
Malanthrope - Malanthrope: The Malanthrope (Tyranicus cadavi terriblis) is a Tyranid support bioform tasked with collecting new genetic material for a hive fleet to create new bioforms from or to use in genetically adapting the capabilities of existing bioforms. A rarely seen Tyranid bioform, the Malanthrope's existence has only recently been discovered by the Imperium of Man.For a long time the Malanthrope was a complete mystery to Imperial forces because the creature's purpose meant that it only followed in the wake of a successful Tyranid swarm attack. Few Imperial troops survived long enough in these situations to witness a Malanthrope at work or, if the Tyranid swarm had been successfully repulsed, no Malanthropes would appear.As more battles were fought between the Tyranids and the Imperium, however, reports describing the Malanthrope were often mistaken for sightings of Zoanthropes.It was not until Inquisitor Back encountered a Malanthrope on the world of Moloch II that the Ordo Xenos realised that this was a distinct new bioform and an Alien Hunter team was dispatched to investigate. Their subsequent report provides the main source of data about this unusual Tyranid species.
Malanthrope - Role: It is well known that once a battle is over and the main Tyranid combat swarm has moved on to its next target, the Ripper swarms move in, devouring anything organic in their path. These follow-up swarms are sometimes accompanied by the hideous Malanthropes.The Malanthrope's role in the Tyranid swarm seems to be to collect and process genetic material from any fallen enemies, before itself being reabsorbed along with the Ripper swarms into the Tyranid biomass. The biomass collected by the Malanthrope is then used by the hive fleet's Norn-Queens to create more complex bioforms.The Malanthrope's full role is not yet understood, but some Adeptus Mechanicus Magos Biologis believe that it is seeking out unique genetic material for use in creating substantially more advanced Tyranid species. If so, they are very dangerous ceatures themselves as they may be responsible for a hive fleet's ability to rapidly evolve.The destruction of Malanthropes has thus recently been given top priority by the Ordo Xenos. Those few who have witnessed a Malanthrope at work report that the creature grabs dead, injured and still-living foes with its long, grasping tendrils, stuns them with its sting and then consumes them by feeding them into its maw with its short but highly dextrous arms.The Malanthrope's tendrils carry a venomous poison that is cardiotoxic, neurotoxic and dermonecrotic. This toxin is injected through the skin and causes excruciating pain. The poison disables the target and the Malanthrope then absorbs its body into the bloated sacks present on its torso, where the victim's genetic material is slowly extracted and processed -- a terrible death for any individual unlucky enough to be caught still alive by the Malanthrope.A Malanthrope is also a highly intelligent psyker with a powerful link to the Tyranid Hive Mind. Like the closely related Zoanthrope, from which the Malanthrope bioform may have been evolved, a Malanthrope can only move by psychically levitiating itself to skim slowly over the ground like a malevolent balloon.
Malanthrope - Ordo Xenos Departmento Analyticus Classification: DesignationMalanthropeCommon TitleCorpse-eater/ScavengerSpecies NameTyranicus cadavi terriblisAverage Height6.1mAverage Weight2.7 tonnesFirst encounteredMoloch IIRoleDNA reclamationThreat evaluationModerateMain WeaponryToxic TendrilsSecondary WeaponryTailTertiary WeaponryClawsNotes: Often accompanied by Rippers in the wake of a Tyranid planetary assault.
Malanthrope - Sources: Codex: Tyranids (6th Edition), pg. 47Deathwatch: The Jericho Reach (RPG) pg. 194Imperial Armour Volume Four - The Anphelion Project, pp. 90-91
Malcador Annihilator - Malcador Annihilator: The Malcador Annihilator is a variant of the venerable Malcador Assault Tank design. It is not widely used by the Imperial armed forces at the present time and is in fact little known even within the Imperial military. In many regions of the Imperium, the Malcador passed out of common service many millennia ago. The few Malcadors that remain in the Emperor of Mankind's service have been relegated to the Departmento Munitorum's strategic reserve, to the arsenals of second-line Planetary Defence Forces or are maintained in active service only by a few units of the Astra Militarum due to ancient tradition.The Malcador Annihilator was originally conceived as a field modification carried out on battle-damaged or unfinished production hulls intended to "up-gun" the tank's weaponry and extend its battlefield utility. The pattern's detractors hold that the variant is a hybrid intended to carry out two roles, neither of which it can fulfill with any real ability.The tank is simply too slow and too large to serve as a true "tank hunter" but is not large enough or heavily armed enough (due to the limited supply of shells for its Demolisher Cannon) to be matched against a true super-heavy tank like an Imperial Baneblade in open combat. Against other, more conventional armoured vehicles when it is part of a larger offensive force, the Malcador Annihilator can still prove its worth in the hands of a skilled crew.
Malcador Annihilator - Armament: The Malcador Annihilator variant of the Malcador Assault Tank replaces the standard pattern's limited-traverse turret embrasure-mounted Battle Cannon with a set of twin-linked Lascannons. The tank retains the original's sponson-mounted weapons but replaces the hull-mounted Heavy Bolter with a Demolisher Cannon. The sponson weapons can carry either two Heavy Stubbers, Heavy Bolters, Heavy Flamers, Lascannons or Autocannons.The overall shape of the tank reduces the traversing range of its sponson and hull weapons, producing a limited arc of fire due to its heavy armour plating and reinforced weapons mounts. Its immobile main turret can also prove to be a problem in a chaotic engagement where the lines of battle interpenetrate and the foe's infantry or armour units can take advantage of the Malcador's limited firing arc. Experienced commanders minimize these problems by combining other armour variants and infantry support with their squadrons of Malcadors.However, the tank has another major problem, the vulnerability of its engine. The Malcador's main engine plant, a thermic combustor design that is a variant for military use of a common pattern used in industrial and agricultural machinery across the Human-settled galaxy, is underpowered in relation to the Malcador's sheer size and mass. This reduces its performance and provides very poor fuel efficiency. This problem has often plagued the Malcador and its variants and has been the primary reason why this pattern of heavy tank has been relegated to second-line status amongst the Imperial military forces.The Malcador tank could be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.
Malcador Annihilator - Unit Composition: 1-3 Legion Malcador Annihilator Tanks (Legiones Astartes, 31st Millennium Only)
Malcador Annihilator - Wargear: A standard Legion Malcador Annihilator Tank is armed and equipped with:Twin-linked LascannonsHeavy BolterTwo sponson-mounted Heavy BoltersSearchlightSmoke LaunchersA Legion Malcador Annihilator Tank may replace its hull-mounted Heavy Bolter with any of the following:Heavy FlamerAutocannonLascannonDemolisher CannonA Legion Malcador Annihilator Tank may replace its set of sponson-mounted Heavy Bolters with any of the following:Heavy FlamersAutocannonsLascannonsA Legion Malcador Annihilator Tank may take one of the following pintle-mounted weapons:Twin-linked Bolters (Combi-Bolter)Combi-WeaponHeavy BolterHeavy FlamerMulti-MeltaHavoc Missile LauncherLegion Malcador Annihilator Tanks may also have a variety of vehicle equipment such as:Flare ShieldDozer BladeMine PloughAuxiliary Drive SystemArmoured Ceramite PlatingWhen in a squadron of three, one Legion Malcador Annihilator Tank could be upgraded to the following:Squadron Command Tank
Malcador Annihilator - Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications: Malcador AnnihilatorVehicle Name:Malcador AnnihilatorMain Armament:Turret-mounted twin-linked LascannonsForge World of Origin:M'KhandSecondary Armament:1 hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon, 2 sponson-mounted Heavy BoltersKnown Patterns:I - VIITraverse:60 degreesCrew:1 Commander, 1 Driver, 4 Gunners, 1 LoaderElevation:-2 to 20 degreesPowerplant:HL330 v12 Multi-FuelMain Ammunition:UnlimitedWeight:99 TonnesSecondary Ammunition:2,500 RoundsLength:9.6 metresArmour:Width:4.4 metresHeight:3.9 metresSuperstructure:180 millimetresGround Clearance:.65 metresHull:160 millimetresMax Speed On-Road:25 kilometres per hourGun Mantlet:N/AMax Speed Off-Road:18 kilometres per hourVehicle Designation:8677-032-8391-ML028Transport Capacity:N/AFiring Ports:N/AAccess Points:N/ATurret:N/A
Malcador Annihilator - Sources: Imperial Armour - Apocalypse, pg. 15Imperial Armour - Apocalypse (Second Edition), pg. 17Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard (Second Edition), pp. 140-141, 145, 267Imperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks Part Two, pp. 29, 89, 15-155Imperial Armour Volume Seven - The Siege of Vraks Part ThreeThe Horus Heresy - Book One: Betrayal (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 229The Horus Heresy: Book Two - Massacre (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 86-87The Horus Heresy - Book Four: Conquest (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 90-91, 280The Horus Heresy: Legiones Astartes - Age of Darkness Army List pg. 81
Malcador Assault Tank - Malcador Assault Tank: The Malcador Assault Tank, also known as the Malcador Heavy Tank is a venerable pattern of armoured vehicle that predates the Leman Russ tank in the Imperium of Man's service. It is not widely used by Imperial armed forces at the present time and is in fact little known even within the Imperial military.In many regions of the Imperium, the Malcador passed out of common service many millennia ago. The few Malcadors that remain in the Emperor of Mankind's service have been relegated to the Departmento Munitorum's strategic reserve, to the arsenals of second-line Planetary Defence Forces or are maintained in active service only by a few units of the Imperial Guard due to ancient tradition.
Malcador Assault Tank - History: The Malcador Assault Tank is a truly ancient design dating back to the wars that consumed Terra during the Age of Strife. The Imperial production model of this heavy tank was named after Malcador the Sigillite, the Regent of Terra and right hand of the Emperor of Mankind during the Unification Wars, the Great Crusade, and the Horus Heresy of the late 30th and early 31st Millennia. The Imperial Malcador tank was produced by the thousands by the Forge Worlds of Mars and Voss during the beginning of the Great Crusade where it was one of the primary main battle tanks of both the Imperial Army and the Legiones Astartes.Although the Malcador was not as heavily armed as goliaths as the Baneblade or the Stormhammer, or as heavily armoured as the Land Raider, it possessed a number of advantages to its design, the principal of which was its battle speed, which was formidable for a tank of its size, thanks to its highly sophisticated, if temperamental, drive system. The Malcador's design also allowed it to fight in the harsh conditions of the void, which was why it was most commonly associated with the elite Solar Auxilia Cohorts of the Imperial Army during the time of the Great Crusade. The Malcador's design, however, does suffer from flaws; most tellingly the relative vulnerability of its propulsion systems and the limited traverse of its main turret weapon.The Malcador was eventually replaced in Legion service by the Land Raider Proteus, and by the time of the Horus Heresy many Malcador tanks had been relegated to the Legions' strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, only to be replaced by larger numbers of smaller, more tactically flexible tanks such as the Leman Russ and its many variants. The demands of the galaxy-wide civil war soon brought them back into the fray, and their ubiquitousness in the Imperial reserves saw them used as test-beds for a variety of new variants intended to replace losses and fill gaps in supply and resource. By the time of the late 41st Millennium, the Malcador Heavy Tank and its various replacement parts are now only produced on a very few of the Adeptus Mechanicus' Forge Worlds, though the planet of M'Khand Secundus in the Segmentum Pacificus is one rare exception where the Malcador is produced in relatively large numbers.
Malcador Assault Tank - Siege of Vraks: During the Siege of Vraks, after the Apostate Cardinal-Astra Xaphan had led the planet's defence forces into rebellion against the Imperium and into eventual service to Chaos, the Malcador heavy tank saw extensive service with the Vraksian Traitor Militia. Vraks was a Departmento Munitorum Armoury World, a massive storehouse of Imperial arms stockpiled over the centuries. Mothballed amongst these arms were a large quantity of Malcador heavy tanks and its variants as well as considerable stores of spare parts for these tanks. Although not often seen during the early stages of the campaign on Vraks Prime because it was passed over in favour of more common and reliable machines, the Malcador took on a more prominent role in the fighting as the campaign ground on. Malcadors were used by the Traitors both to anchor their defensive lines and to spearhead their suicidal counteroffensives into the lines of the besieging Imperial Guard regiments of the Death Korps of Krieg.The Malcador Defender variant of the tank was a highly-valued weapon against the Death Korps Regiments who favoured massed infantry assaults as their main offensive strategy. The Defender's multiple Heavy Bolters could be used to decimate the assaulting infantry lines, especially if they could counterattack into the main body of the Krieg assault, though this was a dangerous tactic for the tank's crew. Yet this tactic proved successful as the campaign progressed and the Vraksian Traitors devolved further into the fanaticism and savagery of Chaos. Chaotic corruption amongst the Traitors became more evident as the war continued and their Malcadors and other war machines became adorned with the iconography and foul symbols of the Ruinous Powers. Many Malcador tanks eventually sported bloody trophy racks and other foul decorations cut from the body parts of fallen Imperial soldiers in imitation of the warbands of Chaos Space Marines that were drawn into the conflict.
Malcador Assault Tank - Unit Composition: 1-3 Legion Malcador Assault Tanks (Legiones Astartes, 31st Millennium Only)
Malcador Assault Tank - Wargear: A standard Legion Malcador Assault Tank is armed and equipped with:Battle CannonHeavy BolterTwo sponson-mounted Heavy BoltersSearchlightSmoke LaunchersA Legion Malcador Assault Tank may replace its hull-mounted Heavy Bolter with any of the following:Heavy FlamerAutocannonLascannonDemolisher CannonA Legion Malcador Assault Tank may replace its set of sponson-mounted Heavy Bolters with any of the following:Heavy FlamersAutocannonsLascannonsA Legion Malcador Assault Tank may take one of the following pintle-mounted weapons:Twin-linked Bolters (Combi-Bolter)Combi-WeaponHeavy BolterHeavy FlamerMulti-MeltaHavoc Missile LauncherLegion Malcador Assault Tanks may also possess a variety of vehicle equipment such as:Flare ShieldDozer BladeMine PloughAuxiliary Drive SystemArmoured Ceramite PlatingWhen in a squadron of three, one Legion Malcador Assault Tank could be upgaded to the following:Squadron Command Tank
Malcador Assault Tank - Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications: Malcador Heavy Battle TankVehicle Name:MalcadorMain Armament:Battle CannonForge World of Origin:M'KhandSecondary Armament:1 hull-mounted Heavy Bolter, 2 sponson-mounted Heavy BoltersKnown Patterns:I - XIIITraverse:60 degreesCrew:1 Commander, 1 Driver, 4 Gunners, 1 LoaderElevation:-2 to 20 degreesPowerplant:HL330 v12 Multi-FuelMain Ammunition:32 RoundsWeight:105 TonnesSecondary Ammunition:7,500 RoundsLength:9.6 metresArmour:Width:4.4 metresHeight:3.9 metresSuperstructure:180 millimetresGround Clearance:.65 metresHull:160 millimetresMax Speed On-Road:25 kilometres per hourGun Mantlet:N/AMax Speed Off-Road:18 kilometres per hourVehicle Designation:8677-032-8391-ML021Transport Capacity:N/AFiring Ports:N/AAccess Points:N/ATurret:N/A
Malcador Assault Tank - Sources: Imperial Armour Apocalypse, pp. 14-16Imperial Armour Apocalypse (2nd Edition), pp. 16-19Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard (Second Edition), pp. 8, 140-142, 144, 267Imperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks Part Two, pp. 15, 30-31, 150-156Imperial Armour Volume Seven - The Siege of Vraks Part ThreeImperial Armour Volume Eleven - The Doom of Mymeara, pp. 85-89The Horus Heresy - Book One: Betrayal (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 229The Horus Heresy: Book Two - Massacre (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 86-87The Horus Heresy - Book Four: Conquest (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 90-91, 280The Horus Heresy: Legiones Astartes - Age of Darkness Army List pg. 81
Malcador Defender - Malcador Defender: The Malcador Defender is a variant of the venerable Malcador Assault Tank design. It is not widely used by Imperial armed forces at the present time and is in fact little known even within the Imperial military. In many regions of the Imperium, the Malcador passed out of common service many millennia ago.The few Malcadors that remain in the Emperor of Mankind's service have been relegated to the Departmento Munitorum's strategic reserve, to the arsenals of second-line Planetary Defence Forces or are maintained in active service only by a few units of the Astra Militarum due to ancient tradition.The Malcador Defender is arguably the most effective of the Malcador tank variants. It is more common in many Imperial armouries than the standard heavy tank upon which it is based.
Malcador Defender - Armament: The Malcador Defender variant of the Malcador Assault Tank replaces the standard tank's limited-traverse turret embrasure-mounted Battle Cannon with five Heavy Bolters. The tank retains the original's sponson-mounted weapons but like the Malcador Annihilator it replaces the hull-mounted Heavy Bolter with a Demolisher Cannon. The sponson weapons can carry either two Heavy Stubbers, Heavy Bolters, Heavy Flamers, Lascannons or Autocannons. The overall shape of the tank reduces the traversing range of its sponson and hull weapons, producing a limited arc of fire due to its heavy armour plating and reinforced weapons mounts. The tank's upper turret embrasure is heavily modified to mount five separate Heavy Bolters angled to provide 360 degrees of fire coverage.This shifts the tank's role to that of serving as a mobile fortress that is often referred to as a breakthrough tank. It is well-suited to close-quarters combat, trench warfare and urban warfare engagements. In this role, the Defender's Demolisher Cannon can be used against well-fortified positions and enemy strong-points, while its multiple Heavy Bolters can sweep areas for hidden infantry and defend the tank from a close assault.Although the Malcador Defender is very cramped, fitting a large crew of 8 into its tightly-packed and blazingly hot hull, it is as prone to engine problems as the other variants of the Malcador tank, and its battlefield role means that it seldom operates far from support or resupply. This can mitigate the design's inherent problems and its firepower and considerable protection can make it a valuable asset to Imperial forces for both offensive and defensive engagements.The Malcador Defender can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a mine sweeper, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.
Malcador Defender - Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications: Malcador DefenderVehicle Name:Malcador DefenderMain Armament:Hull-mounted Demolisher CannonForge World of Origin:M'KhandSecondary Armament:5 Heavy Bolters, 2 sponson-mounted LascannonsKnown Patterns:I - IXTraverse:60 degreesCrew:1 Commander, 1 Driver, 5 Gunners, 1 LoaderElevation:-2 to 20 degreesPowerplant:HL330 v12 Multi-FuelMain Ammunition:18 RoundsWeight:105 TonnesSecondary Ammunition:7,500 RoundsLength:9.6 metresArmour:Width:4.4 metresHeight:3.9 metresSuperstructure:180 millimetresGround Clearance:.65 metresHull:160 millimetresMax Speed On-Road:25 kilometres per hourGun Mantlet:N/AMax Speed Off-Road:18 kilometres per hourVehicle Designation:8677-032-8391-ML036Transport Capacity:N/AFiring Ports:N/AAccess Points:N/ATurret:N/A
Malcador Defender - Also See: Imperial Vehicles
Malcador Defender - Sources: Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard (Second Edition), pp. 141-142, 146, 267Imperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks - Part Two, pp. 90, 150-156Imperial Armour Volume Seven - The Siege of Vraks Part ThreeImperial Armour Volume Twelve - The Fall of Orpheus, pg. 225Imperial Armour Apocalypse, pg. 16Imperial Armour Apocalypse (Second Edition), pg. 18
Malcador Infernus - Malcador Infernus: The Malcador Infernus is a variant of the venerable Malcador Assault Tank design. It is not widely used by Imperial armed forces at the present time and is in fact little known even within the Imperial military. In many regions of the Imperium, the Malcador passed out of common service many millennia ago. The few Malcadors that remain in the Emperor of Mankind's service have been relegated to the Departmento Munitorum's strategic reserve, to the arsenals of second-line Planetary Defence Forces or are maintained in active service only by a few units of the Imperial Guard due to ancient tradition. The Malcador Infernus variant has been mostly replaced by the faster and more reliable Hellhound in front-line Imperial Guard regiments. The Infernus is armed with a massive, vehicle-sized Flamer known as an Inferno Gun.
Malcador Infernus - History: The Malcador Assault Tank is a truly ancient design dating back to the wars of the Age of Strife on Terra. During the Great Crusade, thousands of these war machines rolled off the production lines of both Mars and Voss. Though not as heavily armed or armoured as the Baneblade or Land Raider, the Malcador nevertheless possessed a number of advantages to its design, the principal of which was its battle speed and versatility. Soon, the Malcador had several variant patterns being utilised by the military forces of the nascent Imperium. One of these patterns was the Malcador Infernus. The Infernus is a flame thrower tank, in effect a huge Flamer on tracks, with a fuel trailer towed behind it. Within the trailer the Promethium fuel is stored as separate chemicals. These are mixed together in a chamber just behind the barrel to create a "jelly" that is projected out, ignited as it does so and which sticks to any surface. The massive gout of flames launched from the Inferno Gun is also effective at clearing mines, the sudden heat detonating mine fuses and making large areas safe much quicker than alternative methods.By the time of the Horus Heresy many Malcador tanks had been relegated to strategic reserves and second line Imperial Army units, replaced by newer and more powerful designs, although the demands of the galaxy-wide civil war soon brought them back into the fray, while their availability saw them used as test-beds for a variety of new variants designed to plug gaps in supply and resource. During the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras, the elite Solar Auxilia employed the Malcador Infernus in specialist reserves held at the Cohort level. They were generally deployed to lead advances against enemy forces occupying especially dense terrain, such as trench lines, city ruins or heavily forested areas.
Malcador Infernus - Armament: The Malcador Infernus differs the most from the standard pattern of the Malcador Assault Tank. The Infernus is quite simply a massive Flamer on tracks, with most of the tank's chassis given over to the placement of its main weapon, an Inferno Gun. An Inferno Gun is a Titan-grade Flamer weapon usually found on Warhound-class Scout Titans. The weapon is so large that there is no room on the vehicle itself for the Promethium fuel required to fire the weapon, as such the fuel is towed behind the vehicle inside of a large fuel drum attached to a large, wheeled trailer connected to the tank by an armoured fuel line. The Promethium is stored as separate chemicals before being mixed together in a chamber located behind the gun's barrel. The resulting petrochemical jelly jets out and sticks to any surface, burning with intense heat. While this weapon is powerfully effective against enemy infantry and light vehicles, this huge Flamer is also effective at clearing mine fields, using the sudden blast of heat to detonate the explosives' fuses. Unfortunately for the Infernus' crew, carrying a large amount of flammable fuel though the trailer makes the vehicle a tempting target for the enemy and the destruction of the fuel trailer can result in a large, fiery explosion. Some Infernus tank crews will use corrosive chemicals as their ammunition instead of Promethium, turning the Malcador Infernus into a deadly chemical weapon delivery vehicle. The vehicle is also armed with two sponson-mounted weapons, one on each side. These weapons can be either Heavy Stubbers, Heavy Flamers, Heavy Bolters, Lascannons, or Autocannons. The Malcador Infernus tank can be outfitted with a variety of upgrades and attachments, such as Camouflage Netting, Extra Armour Plating, an improved communications system, a Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher, a pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber, rough terrain modifications, track guards, a Searchlight, and Smoke Launchers.
Malcador Infernus - Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications: Malcador InfernusVehicle Name:Malcador InfernusMain Armament:Forward-firing Inferno GunForge World of Origin:M'KhandSecondary Armament:Two sponson-mounted Heavy StubbersKnown Patterns:UnknownTraverse:N/ACrew:1 Commander, 1 Driver, 1 GunnerElevation:UnknownPowerplant:HL330 v12 Multi-FuelMain Ammunition:UnknownWeight:110 Tonnes (approx.)Secondary Ammunition:UnknownLength:13.6 metres (approx.)Armour:Width:4.4 metresHeight:2.9 metres (approx.)Superstructure:180 millimetresGround Clearance:.65 metresHull:160 millimetresMax Speed On-Road:20 kilometres per hour (approx.)Gun Mantlet:N/AMax Speed Off-Road:14 kilometres per hour (approx.)Vehicle Designation:UnknownTransport Capacity:N/AFiring Ports:N/AAccess Points:N/ATurret:N/A
Malcador Infernus - Also See: Imperial Vehicles
Malcador Infernus - Sources: Imperial Armour Apocalypse (2013), pg. 39Imperial Armour Apocalypse (Second Edition), pg. 19Imperial Armour Volume One - Imperial Guard (Second Edition), pp. 9, 141, 143, 147, 267Imperial Armour Volume Eleven - The Doom of Mymeara, pp. 85-89The Horus Heresy - Book One: Betrayal by Alan Bligh, pg. 229The Horus Heresy - Book Four: Conquest by Alan Bligh, pg. 281
Malcador the Sigillite - The Horus Heresy Begins: The Imperial Planetary Governor of Istvaan III, Vardus Praal, had been corrupted by the Chaos God Slaanesh, whose cultists had long been active on the world. Praal had declared his independence from the Imperium, and practiced forbidden psychic sorcery, so the Council of Terra charged Horus with the retaking of that world, primarily its capital, the Choral City. This order merely furthered Horus' plans to overthrow the Emperor.Although the four Legions under his direct command -- the Sons of Horus, the World Eaters, the Death Guard and the Emperor's Children -- had already turned Traitor and now pledged themselves to Chaos, there were still some Loyalist elements within each of these Legions that approximated one-third of each force; many of these warriors were Terran-born Space Marines who had been directly recruited into the Legiones Astartes by the Emperor Himself before being reunited with their Primarchs during the Great Crusade. Horus, under the guise of putting down the rebellion against Imperial Compliance on Istvaan III, amassed his troops in the Istvaan System.Horus had a plan by which he would destroy all the remaining Loyalist elements of the Legions under his command. After a lengthy bombardment of Istvaan III, Horus despatched all of the known Loyalist Astartes down to the planet, under the pretense of bringing it back into the Imperium. At the moment of victory and the capture of the Choral City, these Astartes were betrayed when a cascade of terrible Virus Bombs containing the Life-eater virus fell onto the world, launched by the Warmaster's orbiting fleet.On the planet's surface had been over one hundred companies of Space Marines drawn from the Emperor's Children, Death Guard and World Eaters Legions. Of these, fully two-thirds miraculously survived the bombardment, thanks to the warning messages they received from their loyal comrades in orbit. The conflict on Istvaan III became the first battle in the history of the Imperium in which Space Marine fought Space Marine. Former comrades and brothers-in-arms became bitter foes as treachery abounded. No quarter was asked for and none was given.As the Traitors launched their orbital barrage of death on the Loyalist Space Marines on Istvaan III, Captain Nathaniel Garro of the Death Guard seized the frigate Eisenstein and fled towards Terra, to bring warning of Horus' treachery. Stranded hundreds of light years from any stretch of inhabited space, the Loyalists were eventually found by Primarch Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists Legion, and brought back to the Sol System.After arriving in the Sol System with the news, Garro, his fellow Death Guard Astartes, the Remembrancer Euphrati Keeler, and the former Luna Wolf Captain Iacton Qruze were all placed in a fortress on Luna that belonged to the Sisters of Silence while the Emperor determined whether they were truthful or were simply further pawns of the Chaos Gods.
Malcador the Sigillite - Appearance and Abilities: Malcador wore simple, priest-like robes that were normally used by Adepts of the Imperial Administratum. To many outsiders the Sigillite looked like a normal Adept from this august body. He was known for having the appearance of a slender, elderly man even though he was one of the most powerful psykers in the galaxy. What set him apart from normal Adepts of the Administratum was his psychic presence and his trademark staff that was capped with a gold Imperial Aquila wreathed in flame as his badge of office as First Lord of the Imperium and the Regent of Terra.The Sigillite was believed to be the second most powerful natural born psyker in human history after the Emperor, perhaps surpassed only by the Primarch Magnus the Red. He was gifted with extraordinary telepathic and telekinetic abilities, as well as greatly increased physical and mental fortitude, as displayed during the incident with Lorgar on Monarchia when he survived an assault from the massive Primarch that should have killed a man of his apparent age and physical size.The Sigillite was also blessed with a lifespan far greater than that of normal, unaugmented humans, having survived for an unknown number of Terran centuries before even meeting the Emperor of Mankind at some time before the start of the Unification Wars.
Malcador the Sigillite - Trivia: Brahm al-Khadour, the name Jaghatai Khan claimed was Malcador's birth name, is likely a reference to the Khidr or al-Khidr. The Khidr is a name ascribed to a figure in the Quran as a righteous servant of God possessing great wisdom or mystic knowledge.In various Islamic and non-Islamic religious traditions, the Khidr is described as a messenger, prophet, wali, slave and angel, who guards the sea, teaches secret knowledge and aids those in distress.