vizn3r/warhammer40k-lore huggingface dataset:
Thunderhawk - History: The Thunderhawk gunship was first developed for service in the Legiones Astartes during the later days of the Emperor's Great Crusade in the final century of the 30th Millennium. The Thunderhawk was designed to bridge the gap in size and capacity between the smaller Legion craft such as the Storm Eagle and the larger, much more costly Stormbird and Argo Drop Ships.Early on, the Thunderhawk was not popular with some of the Space Marine Legions, as they had grown attached to their Stormbirds and their ability to transport more units into battle than the smaller and more compact Thunderhawk, yet by the outbreak of the Horus Heresy the Thunderhawk had proved itself a worthy addition to any Legion's fleet, and was mass-produced to meet the on-going demands of the war. Eventually the Thunderhawk was widely used by all 18 of the Legiones Astartes during the Horus Heresy.The craft was produced in such numbers that after the war ended and the Loyalist Legions were broken down into smaller Chapters many of the newly formed Chapters would find themselves with many Thunderhawks, and only a few if any of the larger craft. As a testament to the craft's design, and how easy they are to produce, the Thunderhawk has far outlived the Stormbird and Argo Drop Ships in usefulness and is still the main assault-craft used by both the Loyalist Astartes of the Imperium and the Traitor Legions of Chaos after nearly 10,000 standard years.
Thunderhawk - Construction: The Thunderhawk gunship is amongst the most advanced and technologically sophisticated machines in use by the Imperium. Each and every Thunderhawk is packed with advanced targeting, sensory, communication, avionics, and navigational equipment, all of which is protected by its thick hull.The armour used in the construction of the Thunderhawk is the same as that used in the creation of the Land Raider. This special armour plating is comprised of a composite of ablative ceramite, absorption and dissipation materials, thermoplas fibre mesh, titanium rolled plates, and an adamantium inner hull all layered together to provide excellent shielding against heat, during orbital entry and exits and from energy-based weaponry.This armour has given the Thunderhawk a reputation as a very robust aircraft, and it is capable of taking large amounts of damage while still remaining in the air. The aircraft is capable of smashing its way past enemy interceptor craft and anti-air fire and safely landing its cargo of Astartes behind enemy lines, or deploying them into the midst of the foe.The Thunderhawk's internal systems are just as robust as its outer protective armour; the vehicle's primary narrow-band, long-range communications vox transmitter is situated on top of the aircraft's fuselage and is controlled by the vehicle's navigator and co-pilot. This system, along with its sensor array and electronic countermeasures, is capable of jamming enemy sensors and tracking equipment, making it difficult for enemy aircraft to lock-on to the aircraft.The Thunderhawk's navigational equipment, which allows the craft to easily find its landing coordinates and safely reach its destination whether it is in space or on a planet's surface, is also capable of relaying data to other Space Marine forces. If a Thunderhawk is ever shot down during combat, the vehicle will activate its emergency locator beacon, which will start broadcasting its position to the rest of the Space Marine forces, allowing the quick rescue of any survivors, and the recovery of the aircraft itself.The Thunderhawk is equipped with traditional flare launchers that are located on the lower rear section of the aircraft's fuselage, allowing it to have a better chance of evading enemy heat-seeking air-to-air weaponry.The Thunderhawk features many unusual features: one such is its two "attack wings". These small wings are located above the craft's main pair of larger wings. These attack wings are locked down to the main wings during normal flight, but during an attack run the wings are released and while they are unlocked they are able to provide the aircraft with additional directional stability, making the Thunderhawk a very stable strike platform for the accurate engagement of enemy ground forces from the air.
Thunderhawk - Engines: While in atmosphere the Thunderhawk is powered by triple RX-92-00 Mars Pattern engines, each of which combines a rocket engine with afterburning, air-breathing turbofans. These engines are mounted on the rear fuselage of the aircraft, and under both of its main wings. These engines allow the aircraft to reach atmospheric speeds of upwards of 2,000 kilometres per hour, depending on planetary conditions such as gravity and air pressure.The Thunderhawk is capable of flying in-atmosphere faster than the Imperial Navy's Marauder Bomber, yet is not as fast as a true interceptor such as the Thunderbolt or Lightning fighters. While the Thunderhawk is in space, its three engines are used as rocket boosters, with the air-breathing turbofan components of the engines isolated from the rest while the hydrogen fuel used by the aircraft's on-board fusion reactor is pumped into the combustion chamber, where it burns to create a highly pressurised, high-velocity stream of gases. These gases flow through the engine's shaped exhaust nozzle, and the forces generated by the gases leaving the engine is able to rapidly propel the craft forwards.The Thunderhawk also features several retro exhaust nozzles that are positioned around the aircraft's hull, and these are used to vent of some of the gases from the engines and to control the aircraft's movements while it is in zero-gravity.
Thunderhawk - Machine Spirit: The Thunderhawk's many electronic systems are governed by the aircraft's M33 "Cygnus"-class Machine Spirit (onboard computer), which has a cognition speed of 40,000 co/sec and a maximum contemplation capacity of 10,000 kilobrains.The machine also contains aetheric feeding coils, alembic shielding arrays, pseudo-synaptic relays, and phlogiston feed coils. This powerful Machine Spirit is a highly revered item, and is comparable to that used in a Reaver-class Titan.
Thunderhawk - Transport Capacity: The Thunderhawk may be smaller than the Stormbird it was designed to replace, yet it is still capable of transporting a great deal of cargo. The Thunderhawk can carry up to 30 power armoured Space Marines, or 15 Space Marines in Terminator Armour, as Terminator Armour takes up nearly twice as much space as the normal patterns of Power Armour.The craft can also carry vehicles, such as a single Dreadnought, which takes the place of 5 normal Space Marines, or a single Assault Bike squadron, where each Assault Bike takes up the room usually used for 3 Space Marines. The craft can also take Attack Bikes into combat, where each Attack Bike takes up as much room as 4 Space Marines.When the Thunderhawk lands it opens the forward ramp located under the aircraft's cockpit, allowing all those aboard to deploy under the covering fire of the vehicle's forward-mounted twin-linked Heavy Bolters. The aircraft also has two smaller doors located on its sides, which allow infantry to exit in more peaceful circumstances.
Thunderhawk - Armament: The Thunderhawk gunship is capable of carrying a fearsome array of weaponry depending on which type of mission it has been tasked for and is able to undertake a wide array of battlefield roles. The basic armament of the Thunderhawk gunship is that of 4 twin-linked Heavy Bolters located near the front of the craft's fuselage and under the aircraft's main wings, 2 Lascannons located under the wings, and a dorsal-mounted Battle Cannon known as a Thunderhawk Cannon.The aircraft can also be outfitted with up to 6 Hellstrike Missiles, and 6 triple bomb pylons, for a total of 18 bombs. The aircraft can replace its dorsal-mounted Thunderhawk Cannon with a Turbo-Laser Destructor for extra firepower. The craft is also capable of carrying large guided bombs with various warheads, which are used during bombing missions.The Thunderhawk can be outfitted with an armoured cockpit and illumination flares. During the later decades of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy eras in the late 30th and early 31st Millennia, the Thunderhawk gunship could also be outfitted with a Flare Shield. Flare Shields were similar to present-day Imperial Void Shield technology, but were effective on a smaller scale. It is unknown if this technology is still in use in parts of the Imperium in the late 41st Millennium or if it has been lost over the millennia like so much else from that era.During these ancient times it was also common practise to equip Thunderhawks with an additional layer of ceramite plating, for added protection against enemy fire. The Thunderhawk's weapon systems are able to be swapped out to better suit whatever combat role it has been given. The basic armament of the Thunderhawk (as described above) is usually used for standard Astartes troop insertion missions. There are several other standard mission loadout packages the Thunderhawk can be outfitted with, including the following:
Thunderhawk - Troop Insertion Mission: 1 dorsal-mounted Thunderhawk Cannon, or Turbo-Laser Destructor2 wing-mounted Lascannons2 front fuselage-mounted twin-linked Heavy Bolters2 wing-mounted twin-linked Heavy Bolters
Thunderhawk - Close Air Support Mission: 1 dorsal-mounted Thunderhawk Cannon, or Turbo-Laser Destructor2 wing-mounted Lascannons2 front fuselage-mounted twin-linked Heavy Bolters2 wing-mounted twin-linked Heavy Bolters6 wing-mounted Hellstrike Missiles
Thunderhawk - Saturation Bombing Mission: 1 dorsal-mounted Thunderhawk Cannon, or Turbo-Laser Destructor2 wing-mounted Lascannons2 front fuselage-mounted twin-linked Heavy Bolters2 wing-mounted twin-linked Heavy Bolters18 wing-mounted bombs, including several incendiary bombs
Thunderhawk - Long-Range Bombing Mission: 1 dorsal-mounted Thunderhawk Cannon, or Turbo-Laser Destructor2 wing-mounted Lascannons2 front fuselage-mounted twin-linked Heavy Bolters2 wing-mounted external auxiliary fuel tanks4 wing-mounted large guided bombs, delayed fuse2 wing-mounted large guided bombs, Melta warheads
Thunderhawk - Naval Intercept Mission: 1 dorsal-mounted Thunderhawk Cannon, or Turbo-Laser Destructor2 wing-mounted Lascannons2 front fuselage-mounted twin-linked Heavy Bolters6 wing-mounted large guided bombs, Plasma warheads2 wing-mounted large guided bombs, Melta warheads
Thunderhawk - Unit Composition: 1 Thunderhawk gunship (41st Millennium Only)1 Legion Thunderhawk gunship (31st Millennium Only)
Thunderhawk - Wargear: A standard Thunderhawk gunship is armed and equipped with:Thunderhawk Cannon4 twin-linked Heavy Bolters2 LascannonsHeavy Cluster Bombs (Pylon-mounted)Machine Spirit (artificial intelligence)Void-hardened Hull - Once the Thunderhawk went into mass production to replace the lost stockpiles of the larger multi-role Stormbird, it was quickly realised that a more heavily-armoured version was required for the rigours of prolonged void operations. Thunderhawks and Thunderhawk Transporters outfitted with Void-hardened Hulls have increased protection from enemy fire, particularly around their flanks, and are capable of long-duration exoatmospheric operations.A Thunderhawk gunship may replace its hull-mounted Thunderhawk Cannon with the following:Turbo-Laser DestructorA Thunderhawk gunship of the Grey Knights Chapter may replace its sponson-mounted twin-linked Heavy Bolters with any of the following:Four twin-linked PsycannonsA Thunderhawk gunship may replace its pylon-mounted Heavy Cluster Bombs with the following:Hellstrike Battery (Hellstrike Missiles)
Thunderhawk - Horus Heresy Wargear: During the late Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras the Thunderhawk gunships of the Legiones Astartes featured different weapon loadout options than those of the 41st Millennium.A standard Legion Thunderhawk gunship is armed and equipped with:Thunderhawk Cannon4 twin-linked Heavy Bolters2 Lascannons6 Hellstrike MissilesArmoured Ceramite PlatingMachine Spirit (artificial intelligence)A Legion Thunderhawk gunship may replace its hull-mounted Thunderhawk Cannon with any of the following:Turbo-Laser DestructorA Legion Thunderhawk gunship may replace all six of its Hellstrike Missiles with the following:Up to 6 Heavy Cluster BombsA Legion Thunderhawk gunship may take the following vehicle equipment:Chaff LauncherIllum FlaresArmoured CockpitFlare ShieldRamjet Diffraction GridVoid-hardened Hull - Once the Thunderhawk went into mass production to replace the lost stockpiles of the larger, multi-role Stormbird, it was quickly realised that a more heavily-constructed version was required for the rigours of prolonged void operations. Thunderhawks and Thunderhawk Transporters outfitted with Void-hardened Hulls have increased protection from enemy fire, particularly around their flanks, and are capable of long-duration exoatmospheric operations.
Thunderhawk - Variants: The Thunderhawk gunship has a small number of notable variants:Thunderhawk Transporter - The Thunderhawk Transporter is a logistical support variant of the Thunderhawk. The Thunderhawk Transporter is used to quickly transport a Chapter's vehicles from their orbiting Battle Barges or Strike Cruisers to a planet's surface. The Thunderhawk Transporter is not designed for battle and is only armed with two sets of wing-mounted twin-linked Heavy Bolters for self-defense. The Thunderhawk Transporter is similar in appearance to the standard Thunderhawk with the exception of the missing dorsal-mounted heavy weapon and the addition of an extra engine mount. Additionally, the aircraft's 4 engines are mounted on its wings as opposed to having one mounted on the rear fuselage. The aircraft's troop compartment is removed and replaced with a set of large magnetic clamps to hold on to its cargo of vehicles. The Thunderhawk Transporter is capable of carrying up to two Rhino-sized vehicles or a single Land Raider-sized vehicle. The aircraft also sports a powerful winch which allows it to recover Drop Pods from the field.Grey Knights Thunderhawk gunship - Thunderhawks used by the Grey Knights Chapter of Space Marines differ from the standard pattern Thunderhawk. The Grey Knights Thunderhawk's armour, like most of the Grey Knights' vehicles, makes use of psycho-reactive armour plating as well as the psychically-active Aegis system, which provides the aircraft with extra protection from daemonic and Warp-based weaponry. The aircraft's standard Heavy Bolters are often replaced with devastating Psycannons and the vehicle's Hellstrike Missiles are replaced with Mindstrike Missiles. These changes allow the Grey Knights to be more effective in combat against Chaos Daemons and Renegade psykers and Chaos Sorcerers.Chaos Thunderhawk gunship - Thunderhawks are also used by the Traitor Legions and Renegade Space Marine Chapters. Chaos Thunderhawks are similar to their Imperial counterpart in nearly every way. However, Thunderhawks used by the Traitor Legions are usually twisted and disfigured by their time spent in the Eye of Terror, where they are affected by the tides of the Warp. Chaos Thunderhawks are also usually customised by their Chaos Space Marine owners and covered in blasphemous Chaotic iconography. Many Thunderhawks in service to the Traitor Legions also have their Machine Spirits (Artificial Intelligence) replaced by a possessing daemon. The Thunderhawks used by Chaos Space Marines are used to transport their ground troops and vehicles to a planet's surface and back into orbit to a waiting mothership. It is unknown if Chaos Thunderhawks are armed with different types of weapons or attachments from those available to their Loyalist counterparts.
Thunderhawk - Known Users of the Thunderhawk Gunship: All Loyalist Space Marine ChaptersAll Chaos Space Marine Traitor Legions and warbandsAll Renegade Space Marine Chapters and warbands
Thunderhawk - Notable Known Thunderhawk Gunships: Gladius - The Gladius is the personal Thunderhawk of the Ultramarines 2nd Company's Captain Cato Sicarius.Xiphos - The Xiphos is a famed Thunderhawk gunship of the Ultramarines Chapter.Pilum - The Pilum is a well-known Thunderhawk gunship of the Ultramarines Chapter.Harald IV - The Harald IV is a well-known Thunderhawk gunship of the Ultramarines Chapter.Stormwalker - The Stormwalker is a Thunderhawk gunship of the Fire Angels Chapter.Sunderer - The Sunderer is a Thunderhawk gunship of the Raptors Chapter.Khorma - The Khorma was a Thunderhawk gunship of the White Scars Legion during the time of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy.Perfection's Flight - The Perfection's Flight was a Thunderhawk gunship of the Emperor's Children Legion during the time of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy.Lance of Jove - The Lance of Jove was a Thunderhawk gunship of the Ultramarines Chapter that was deployed onto the planet Graia.Talon Alpha - The Talon Alpha was a Thunderhawk gunship of the Blood Ravens Chapter that was deployed during the second Aurelian Crusade.
Thunderhawk - Notable Users: Avenging Sons - The Avenging Sons Space Marine Chapter deployed 5 Thunderhawks during the Taros Campaign against the T'au.Raptors – The Raptors Space Marine Chapter deployed 8 Thunderhawks during the Taros Campaign against the Tau, and several during the Badab War against the Secessionist forces.Red Scorpions – The Red Scorpions Space Marine Chapter deployed 3 Thunderhawks to the planet Beta Anphelion IV to combat escaped Tyranids, and they deployed several during the Siege of Vraks and during the Badab War.Dark Angels – The Dark Angels Space Marine Chapter deployed 16 Thunderhawks during the Siege of Vraks against the Traitor Forces of Apostate Cardinal-Astra Xaphan, and several during the Relief of Rael's World, and many more during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy.Grey Knights – The Grey Knights Space Marine Chapter deployed several Thunderhawks during the Siege of Vraks to combat the daemonic forces unleashed upon the planet by the Forces of Chaos.Angels of Absolution – The Angels of Absolution Space Marine Chapter deployed several Thunderhawks to Vraks Prime during the Siege of Vraks.Raven Guard – The Raven Guard Space Marine Chapter deployed several Thunderhawks during the Imperial raid on the Ork-held world of Kastorel-Novem, and many more during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy.Fire Angels – The Fire Angels Space Marine Chapter deployed several Thunderhawks during the Badab War to combat the Secessionist Forces of the Tyrant of Badab, Lufgt Huron.Star Phantoms – The Star Phantoms Space Marine Chapter deployed several Thunderhawks during the Badab War.Salamanders – The Salamanders Space Marine Chapter deployed 7 Thunderhawks during the Badab War, and many more during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy.Minotaurs – The Minotaurs Space Marine Chapter deployed 2 Thunderhawks during the Badab War.Space Wolves – The Space Wolves Space Marine Chapter deployed several Thunderhawks during the defense of the Imperial Mining World of Betalis III against the Eldar of Craftworld Mymeara, and many more during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy.Blood Ravens – The Blood Ravens Space Marine Chapter deployed several Thunderhawks during the Tartarus Campaign, the Dark Crusade, the Kaurava Campaign, and three Aurelian Crusades.Ultramarines – The Ultramarines Space Marine Chapter deployed several Thunderhawks during the Devastation of Boros, the Damnos Campaign, the Joran Retaliation Force, and many more during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy.Dark Hands – The Dark Hands Space Marine Chapter deployed several Thunderhawks during the Chinchare Hrud Infestation.Black Templars – The Black Templars Space Marine Chapter deployed several Thunderhawks during the Third War for Armageddon against the Orks and during their many Crusades.White Scars –The White Scars Space Marine Chapter deployed five Thunderhawks on the planet of Cernis IV and another nine on the world of Quintus during Kor'sarro Khan's Hunt for Voldorius.
Thunderhawk - Notable Conflicts: Thunderhawk gunships have been widely used during numerous Imperial military campaigns and crusades wherever the Adeptus Astartes are deployed, including:Great CrusadeHorus HeresyThird War for ArmageddonAchilus CrusadeAssault on Black ReachHunt for VoldoriusDamocles Gulf CrusadeBattle of The FangSiege of VraksBadab WarAurelian CrusadesDark CrusadeKaurava CampaignMacharian Crusade
Thunderhawk - Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications: Thunderhawk GunshipTypeOrbital DropshipOperational CeilingN/AVehicle NameThunderhawk GunshipMax Speed2,000 kilometres per hour (approx.)World of OriginMarsRange28,000 kilometres in atmosphereKnown PatternsI - XXIMain Armament1x dorsal-mounted Thunderhawk Cannon, 1x wing-mounted twin-linked LascannonsCrew1 Pilot, 1 Gunner, 1 Co-pilot, 1 NavigatorSecondary Armament2x front fuselage-mounted twin-linked Heavy Bolters, 2x wing-mounted twin-linked Heavy BoltersPowerplant3 x RX-92-00 Combination Rocket / Air-Breathing Afterburning TurbofansMain Ammunition28 Rounds / UnlimitedWeight121.0 TonnesSecondary Ammunition2,400 RoundsLength26.6 MetresArmourWingspan26.65 MetresSuperstructure55 millimetresHeight9.8 MetresHull65 millimetresVehicle Designation:5463-028-7108-TH 007Transport Capacity30 Space Marines or 15 Terminator Marines or 1 Dreadnought or 1 Assault or Attack Bike squadron
Thunderhawk - Sources: Imperial Armour Index: Forces of the Adeptus Astartes (8th Edition), pp. 38, 51Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition, pp. 154-172, 210-214Imperial Armour Volume Two, Second Edition - War Machines of the Adeptus Astartes, pp. 25, 121-129, 217-219Imperial Armour Volume Three - The Taros Campaign, pp. 22, 31, 33, 54, 150-151Imperial Armour Volume Four - The Anphelion Project, pp. 66, 123Imperial Armour Volume Five - The Siege of Vraks - Part One, pp. 62, 145, 147Imperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks - Part Two, pg. 128Imperial Armour Volume Seven - The Siege of Vraks - Part Three, pp. 57, 80-81Imperial Armour Volume Eight - The Raid on Kastorel-Novem, pp. 13, 54, 58Imperial Armour Volume Nine - The Badab War - Part One, pp. 5, 97, 105Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War - Part Two, pp. 26-27, 54, 165-167Imperial Armour Volume Eleven - The Doom of Mymeara, pg. 124Imperial Armour Volume Twelve - The Fall of Orpheus, pp. 157-159The Horus Heresy: Book One - Betrayal (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 15, 24-25, 226, 233The Horus Heresy - Book Three: Extermination (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 148-149, 182, 276-277The Horus Heresy - Book Seven: Inferno (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pg. 21The Horus Heresy: Legiones Astartes - Age of Darkness Army List pg. 89Imperial Armour Aeronautica, pp. 34-35Imperial Armour Apocalypse II, pg. 36Imperial Armour Update 2003, pp. 4-5Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition), pg. 37The Horus Heresy: Collected Visions, pp. 378, 408Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse (6th Edition) (Digital Edition), pp. 126, 163-164Space Marine (Video Game)Dawn of War PC Game SeriesUltramarines Series (Novels)Horus Heresy Series (Novels)Angel Exterminatus (Novel) by Graham McNeill, pp. 53, 371, 397The Hunt for Voldorius (Novel) by Andy HoareThe Night Lords Series (Novels) by Aaron Dembski-BowdenSoul HunterBlood ReaverVoid StalkerForge World Webstore - Thunderhawk Gunship
Thunderhawk Cannon - Thunderhawk Cannon: The Thunderhawk Cannon is a powerful, oversized, ballistic Battle Cannon that is mounted atop the Adeptus Astartes Thunderhawk gunship. It is larger than the Battle Cannon variant used by the Leman Russ Tank and is intended to be fired at the most vulnerable portions of an enemy position as the Thunderhawk provides air support to Space Marines already on the ground or clear a landing zone of hostile activity before the Thunderhawk deploys its contingent of Astartes.
Thunderhawk Transporter - Thunderhawk Transporter: The Thunderhawk Transporter is a logistical variant of the standard Thunderhawk gunship used by the Adeptus Astartes to carry Space Marine vehicles into combat zones. The Thunderhawk Transporter, while lacking the firepower of the standard Thunderhawk, is no less important to an Astartes Chapter.The Thunderhawk Transporter can quickly load up to two Rhino sized vehicles of any type, or a single Land Raider sized vehicle, also of any type, from an orbiting Strike Cruiser or Battle Barge and bring those vehicles down safely to a planetary surface. The aircraft can also transport infantry, as long as they are inside of the vehicles before they are picked up.The Thunderhawk Transporter's armament and battlefield role are not the only differences from the standard Thunderhawk gunship. The Transporter variant is equipped with four powerful RX-92-00 combined rocket/air-breathing turbofan engines mounted on its four wings, whereas the standard Thunderhawk only has three, with one mounted on the aircraft's rear fuselage.The biggest difference between the two variants is the complete removal of the standard Thunderhawk aircraft's cargo bay, so that the vehicles to be carried can be safely pulled up under the aircraft for transport. The vehicles are held in place by four robotic arms with large magnetic clamps on their ends. These arms magnetically grip the vehicles and pull them up under the aircraft's main fuselage, where they are protected from the worst of both enemy fire and the heat generated from entering or exiting a planet's atmosphere.The four sets of arms are mounted on a rail system that allows them to be placed in the best possible place to safely and securely pick up a vehicle. When not in use the magnetic arms fold up and retract so as not to be damaged. The Thunderhawk Transporter's powerful engines and magnetic arms allow the aircraft to swoop in and drop off its precious cargo and then quickly resume flight.Other than vehicles, the Thunderhawk Transporter is also capable of ferrying large supply pods which can carry ammunition, fuel, or other important supplies for Space Marine forces operating planetside. During planetary assaults undertaken by the Space Marines these aircraft fly non-stop missions from orbit to the surface, ferrying vehicles and supplies to the forces on the ground from the Astartes' naval assets.
Thunderhawk Transporter - Armament: The Thunderhawk Transporter is a logistics vehicle, and is armed only with weapons required for self-defence purposes. The Thunderhawk Transporter forgoes many of the standard Thunderhawk gunship's weapons due to their weight and power consumption, which the Transporter needs to efficiently carry its cargoes. The aircraft is only armed with four sets of twin-linked Heavy Bolters. Two sets are present on the end of each of its rear-most wings and two sets are located on the aircraft's forward wings. These weapons help keep the Transporter safe as it loads or unloads its cargo.The aircraft can also be equipped with up to six Hellstrike Missiles, giving it the ability to clear its landing zone of enemy armour. The Transporter can also be outfitted with an armoured cockpit to protect its crew, illumination flares that allow it to light up its landing area in when in darkness or when it is obscured, and a chaff or flare launcher that can be used as a countermeasure against enemy aircraft and enemy heat-seeking ordnance.During the later decades of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy in the late 30th and early 31st Millennia, the Thunderhawk Transporter could also be outfitted with a Flare Shield. Flare Shields were similar to Imperial Void Shield technology, but were effective on a smaller scale. It is unknown if this technology is still in use in parts of the Imperium or if it has been lost over the millennia like so much of the archeotech from that era.Like the Thunderhawk gunship, the Thunderhawk Transporter is also equipped with a powerful Machine Spirit that governs over the aircraft's many electronic systems.
Thunderhawk Transporter - Unit Composition: 1 Thunderhawk Transporter (41st Millennium Only)1 Legion Thunderhawk Transporter (31st Millennium Only)
Thunderhawk Transporter - Wargear: A standard Thunderhawk Transporter is armed and equipped with:4 twin-linked Heavy BoltersHellstrike Battery (Hellstrike Missiles)Armoured Ceramite PlatingMachine Spirit (Artificial Intelligence)Void-hardened Hull - Once the Thunderhawk went into mass production to replace the lost stockpiles of the larger multi-role Stormbird, it was quickly realised that a more heavily-conscructed version was required for the rigours of prolonged void operations. Thunderhawks and Thunderhawk Transporters outfitted with Void-hardened Hulls have increased protection from enemy fire, particularly around their flanks.
Thunderhawk Transporter - Horus Heresy Wargear: During the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras the Thunderhawk Transporters of the Legiones Astartes featured different weapon loadout options than those of the 41st Millennium.A standard Legion Thunderhawk Transporter is armed and equipped with:4 twin-linked Heavy BoltersArmoured Ceramite PlatingMachine SpiritA Legion Thunderhawk Transporter may take the following additional weaponry:Up to 6 Hellstrike MissilesA Legion Thunderhawk Transporter may take the following vehicle equipment:Chaff LauncherIllum FlaresArmoured CockpitFlare ShieldRamjet Diffraction GridVoid-hardened Hull - - Once the Thunderhawk went into mass production to replace the lost stockpiles of the larger multi-role Stormbird, it was quickly realised that a more heavily-constructed version was required for the rigours of prolonged void operations. Thunderhawks and Thunderhawk Transporters outfitted with Void-hardened Hulls have increased protection from enemy fire, particularly around their flanks.
Thunderhawk Transporter - Known Users of the Thunderhawk Transporter: All Loyalist Space Marine ChaptersAll Renegade Space Marine Chapters and warbands make use of the Thunderhawk Transporter.All of the Traitor Legions make use of their remaining Thunderhawk Transporters.
Thunderhawk Transporter - Notable Users: Angels of Absolution – The Angels of Absolution Chapter deployed several Thunderhawk Transporters to Vraks Prime during the Siege of Vraks.Avenging Sons - The Avenging Sons Chapter deployed 3 Thunderhawk Transporters during the Taros Campaign against the Tau.Dark Angels – The Dark Angels Chapter deployed 22 Thunderhawk Transporters during the Siege of Vraks against the Traitor Forces of Apostate Cardinal-Astra Xaphan.Mantis Warriors – The Mantis Warriors Chapter deployed several Thunderhawk Transporters during the Badab War.Minotaurs – The Minotaurs Chapter deployed 4 Thunderhawk Transporters during the Badab War.Raptors – The Raptors Chapter deployed 12 Thunderhawk Transporters during the Taros Campaign against the Tau, and several during the Badab War against the Secessionist forces.Raven Guard – The Raven Guard Chapter deployed several Thunderhawks during the Imperial raid on the Ork-held world of Kastorel-Novem.Red Scorpions – The Red Scorpions Chapter deployed 3 Thunderhawk Transporters to the planet Beta Anphelion IV to combat escaped Tyranids, and they also deployed several during the Siege of Vraks and the Badab War.Salamanders – The Salamanders Chapter deployed 4 Thunderhawk Transporters during the Badab War.
Thunderhawk Transporter - Notable Thunderhawk Transporters: Maledictor Audax - The Maledictor Audax is a Thunderhawk Transporter of the Mantis Warriors Chapter that participated in many of the battles of the Badab War.
Thunderhawk Transporter - Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications: Thunderhawk TransporterTypeOrbital TransporterOperational CeilingN/AVehicle NameThunderhawk TransporterMax Speed2,000 kilometres per hour (approx.)World of OriginMarsRange28,000 kilometres in atmosphereKnown PatternsI - XIMain Armament4 wing-mounted twin-linked Heavy BoltersCrew1 Pilot, 1 Co-pilotSecondary ArmamentN/APowerplant4 x RX-92-00 Combination Rocket / Air-Breathing Afterburning TurbofansMain Ammunition2,200 RoundsWeight105.0 TonnesSecondary AmmunitionN/ALength28.8 MetresArmourWingspan26.65 MetresSuperstructure45 millimetresHeight8.6 MetresHull45 millimetresVehicle Designation:5463-028-7108-TH 011Transport Capacity2 Rhino type vehicles, 1 Land Raider type vehicle or 1 Spartan Assault Tank type vehicle
Thunderhawk Transporter - Also See: Imperial Vehicles
Thunderhawk Transporter - Sources: Imperial Armour Index: Forces of the Adeptus Astartes (8th Edition), pg. 39Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition, pp. 154-172Imperial Armour Volume Three - The Taros Campaign, pp. 44, 54, 122, 247-250Imperial Armour Volume Four - The Anphelion Project, pg. 123Imperial Armour Volume Five - The Siege of Vraks - Part One, pp. 63, 147Imperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks - Part Two, pg. 128Imperial Armour Volume Seven - The Siege of Vraks - Part Three, pg. 95Imperial Armour Volume Eight - The Raid on Kastorel-Novem, pp. 13, 81Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War - Part Two, pp. 26, 27, 72, 165-167The Horus Heresy: Book One - Betrayal (Forge World Series) by Alan Bligh, pp. 8, 15, 227, 234, 240The Horus Heresy: Legiones Astartes - Age of Darkness Army List pg. 88Imperial Armour Aeronautica, p. 36Imperial Armour Apocalypse, p. 28Imperial Armour Apocalypse (2nd Edition), p. 23Imperial Armour Update 2006, p. 12
Thunderstrike - Thunderstrike: The Thunderstrike Assault Gun, usually simply called a Thunderstrike, was a heavy, mobile artillery piece preferentially deployed by the Iron Warriors Space Marine Legion during the battles of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy.A Thunderstrike was the preferred artillery piece of the Iron Warriors' elite Stor-Bezashk siege units.
Thunderstrike Gauntlet - Thunderstrike Gauntlet: The Thunderstrike Gauntlet is a massive Power Fist that is used as a melee weapon by the combat walkers of the Questor Imperialis, the Imperial Knights, and by the Renegade Knights of the Questor Traitoris. A super-charged Power Weapon, the Thunderstrike Gauntlet crackles with a barely contained nimbus of energy that by merely clenching the fist can cause shock-waves to emanate outwards and sparks of incandescent fury and sizzling arcs of energy.When used against a foe in close combat, it releases a deafening thunderclap that can crumple protective armour and completely pulverise its target. When the Thunderstrike Gauntlet is swung by the Knight the sheer forces delivered by the blow can send towering monsters or vehicles flying into nearby infantry or other vehicles, crushing them to dust. Knights armed with a Thunderstrike Gauntlet are capable of defeating monstrous xenos in a single strike, and have been known to smash into the legs of enemy Titans, toppling them into broken ruin.
Thunderstrike Gauntlet - Variants: Due to the sheer diversity of Knight Worlds and Forge Worlds in the Imperium there exist a multitude of minor variants of the Thunderstrike Gauntlet, each different from the last in a number of distinct ways. The known variants include:Thunderstrike Gauntlet with Lightning Claws - A rare variant of the Thunderstrike Gauntlet, this version is similar to an Astartes Lightning Claw and features three adamantium blades that protrude from just above the knuckles of the fist, each sheathed in a powerful disruption field. These weapons are capable of causing even more damage to the enemy than the standard pattern.
Thunderstrike Gauntlet - Sources: Codex: Imperial Knights (7th Edition), pp. 16, 21, 24, 29-30, 115Warhammer 40,000: Index - Chaos (8th Edition), pg. 109Warhammer 40,000: Freeblade (Video Game)
Thuyela - Thuyela: Thuyela was an Aeldari Craftworld of unrecorded but probably minor size that survived the Fall of the Aeldari and was encountered by the 40th Expeditionary Fleet of the Great Crusade at an unknown date in the late 30th Millennium, in an area of the galaxy simply designated as Kobolt space. It was utterly destroyed by the Space Wolves Space Marine Legion.
Thuyela - History: During the Great Crusade in the late 30th Millennium, the 40th Expeditionary Fleet encountered a race of unusually humanoid xenos in Kobolt space who were lethal and proud, and had no interest in human affairs. The xenos' base of operations was a great transparent vessel that sparkled as if it was made of glass, and so was nicknamed by them as "Scintilla City." It was in actuality an Aeldari Craftworld, and was called Thuyela in the Aeldari Lexicon.True to their capricious nature, the Aeldari of Thuyela attacked the 40th Expeditionary Fleet without apparent reason or explanation, and managed to fight the Imperial fleet to a standstill. Fleet commanders called for the help of the Space Marines. An unrecorded number or Great Company of Space Wolves Astartes answered the call and quickly overcame the xenos.As "Scintilla City" shattered around them, the desperate Aeldari realised that all would be lost if they continued to fight, and the xenos attempted to plead for terms. Imperial commanders involved in the action might have been content to naively negotiate a surrender, but the Space Wolves were not. Thuyela was sacked and its people slaughtered by the Space Wolves.It was so completely destroyed that there was nothing left for the Imperial forces to recover or plunder. The fate of Thuyela's survivors, if any, is not recorded in Imperial records.The senior mortal commanders of the 40th Expeditionary Fleet were so horrified by the incident that they were left with a disinclination to call upon the ferocity of the Space Wolves again, until they were forced to do so in the assault upon the Olamic Quietude homeworld not long after.
Tiber Achilus - Tiber Achilus: Tiber Achilus was a general officer of the Astra Militarum and the original Lord Militant, Warmaster and namesake of the Achilus Crusade to retake the Jericho Reach for the Imperium of Man.Much of what has come to pass during the Imperium's great crusade into the Jericho Reach can be laid at the feet of one man: Tiber Achilus.During its planning and early years, the Lord Militant was the catalyst of nearly every move the Imperium's forces made within the lost sector, even influencing the decisions and actions of those only nominally under his control such as the Inquisition, the Ecclesiarchy, the various Space Marine Chapters, and the Deathwatch.Imperial scholars and historians have often used an ancient adage when talking of the Achilus Crusade, "If you know the man, you will know the mission." The truth of this wisdom can be seen in every fortified world and every glorious victory and every ignominious defeat which mark his nine standard years in command of the Imperium's bid to reclaim the Reach.Those that dig deeper into the man that was Tiber Achilus, however, have found more questions than answers and some disturbing and damning coincidences.
Tiber Achilus - First Lord Militant of the Crusade: To lead an Imperial Crusade, a commander must have more than just experience, charisma and favour. In such an undertaking it is not enough for a man to be the greatest in his field or the most idolised among his peers, he must have something more.When the Warp Gate to the Jericho Reach was discovered and the first whispers of crusade began to permeate among the upper echelons of the Imperium, Achilus found himself drawn to the cause, struck by the righteousness of conquering the Jericho Reach and bringing its worlds back into the light of the God-Emperor.It was as if this was the moment of greatness he had been waiting for, and typical of his confidence and drive, he wasted no time in rallying support and gathering together allies to make his dream a reality.Here history turns up yet more anomalies and curiosities, as even though Achilus was a man of power and influence, even he should have had a long struggle to win the hearts and minds of three sectors as well as the favour of the High Lords of Terra to mandate his claim to lead the crusade.Typically such a political viper's nest could take Terran years to resolve as families and military commanders circled and skirmished to gain the power to make a petition to the High Lords. In the case of Tiber Achilus it took only solar months.Rivals changed their allegiance when they learnt of his intent, while stubborn holdouts came round to his way of thinking. At the time it was seen as the great charisma and connections Achilus must have had and seemed to speak of his ability to hold together the many factions which would make up a crusade and thus favour him for the job.A closer look however revealed more than just the persuasive tongue of a much loved commander, but in some cases complete shifts in stance or personality for particular opponents. Even the brief spate of assassinations (typical of many a significant ascension within the Imperium) seemed as much for show as to aid Tiber Achilus.For better or worse however in those first months following the formation of the crusade, Tiber Achilus was named Lord Militant and the crusade had begun.Tiber Achilus was only to lead the crusade for nine short standard years, and oversee just the very beginning of its push into the Reach. In that time he proved an able commander and a strong presence for the Imperial forces, holding together the at times fragmented organisations and officers under his control.
Tiber Achilus - The First Failures: When the first Imperial scouts had passed through the Warp Gate they found a sector of scattered rebel and alien worlds, but they failed to find any pattern or coordination between them. What they did not discover, and what Achilus was soon to encounter, was the Stigmartus, a sector-spanning cabal of Chaos worshippers.The Stigmartus had dominated the worlds around the Hadex Anomaly and beyond for centuries, soaking entire systems in an endless orgy of blood and depravity. Initially the crusaders thought they faced minor rebels and scattered cults, such as those encountered during the pacification of Hethgard.However as the crusading forces made their first forays into what was once the core of the old Cellebos Sub-sector, they met with organised and powerful resistance.Even as their forces fortified against the T'au and pressed forward into the wild zones of the rimward reaches, the Stigmartus was moving, gathering its forces and making prayers to its dark gods for victory over the servants of the False Emperor.At this time, it was only some members of the Inquisition and the Deathwatch (given their long presence in the Reach) that were fully aware of the extent to which the Stigmartus commanded these core sector worlds, and the staggering amount of resources at their command. It was however a reality which the crusade was soon to face.
Tiber Achilus - Lost in the Warp: Achilus' death was to prove as interesting and unusual as his life, shrouded in mystery and strange circumstance. It was in the year 786.M41, during a routine voyage from Alphos to Karlack that the Lord Militant's vessel the Proclamation of Wrath was lost to the Warp.While the Warp is always a dangerous place, and no journey through it can ever be said to be completely safe, Achilus and his vessel were lost on a trip that should have taken solar days at most and on a Warp route as established and stable as any within the sector.Stranger still is that of the twelve vessels within his fleet that day only the Wrath was lost; all the others arrived at Karlack completely unharmed.Reports from the other captains and their Navigators are varied as to what happened to the Wrath, some saying it was swallowed by a sudden vortex in the Warp, others that its Geller Field must have failed, allowing the horrors of the Warp to consume it.There were even some reports that Achilus and his vessel had translated from the Warp to realspace, disappearing somewhere into the deep void between worlds. Whatever the truth, the Wrath utterly vanished and Achilus was considered lost.Unwilling to accept such an explanation for the death of the Lord Militant, many agencies and individuals sought answers, not least among them the Inquisition. A secret inquest led by Inquisitor Kya Tellemain of the Ordo Malleus spent the next few years examining logs and hunting down leads.At first Tellemain was convinced that the disappearance of Achilus had been the work of the Stigmartus and the Dark Gods, an elaborate plot to rob the Imperium of one of its greatest leaders. She even discovered fragments of evidence which seemed to point her in the direction she hoped the investigation would lead.Unfortunately such leads always came to nought, and she only ever found more rumours and lies the deeper she dug. The most disturbing of these however, and the one which haunted her entire investigation, was the discovery that the Aeldari assassin Syndilian Shanyr had been sighted on Alphos only hours after the departure of the Lord Militant.Never able to undeniably confirm the sighting or establish why he had been there (the alien left no clues and made no attacks if he had in fact been present) Tellemain could only wonder what role the pathfinder might have had in Achilus' death, and why?Eventually pressure from the new Lord Militant along with the pressing concerns of the crusade put an end to Tellemain's investigation. The official histories recorded that Achilus and his vessel had been lost due to a Geller Field failure; a chance accident which could not have been foreseen.Strangely however Tellemain herself disappeared not long after the investigation was closed, vanishing on a mission deep within the Orpheus Salient. Rumours within the Inquisition speculate that she was silenced for what she knew about the old Lord Militant's death.Whether this is true or not, the day she vanished her Acolytes across the Reach went into hiding, as if they knew they too would soon be hunted for what they had learned.
Tiber Achilus - Achilus' Legacy: Tiber Achilus' death has been in many ways only the beginning of his role within the crusade that bears his name. In addition to lending his name to the Imperium's grand undertaking, his memory has become a corner stone of the morale and dedication to duty for many of the crusaders.It has even become a tradition among many of the high ranking officers of both the Astra Militarum and Imperial Navy to take vows before Achilus' Cenotaph on Karlack before accepting their posts, pledging their loyalty to the crusade before the tomb of its father.Ostensibly Solomon Tetrarchus seems to embrace this form of honour afforded his predecessor, though in reality he has little control over the ritual or the strong popularity it has garnered in the ranks.In the Imperial Guard, troops favour those officers who have made their pledges at the Cenotaph of Achilus, the regiments responding well to those who have sought out the "Old Man's" favour before embarking on their combat missions. The Imperial Navy is little different, most captains feeling more secure knowing a man with the blessing of Achilus leads them.