vizn3r/warhammer40k-lore huggingface dataset:
Battlefleet Koronus - Long Patrols: Battlefleet Koronus' most powerful vessels rarely range beyond the Maw, leaving patrol work to the Frigates of Triumph Squadron and Light Cruisers such as Aegis, Hawk, and Swiftsure. These vessels travel deep into the Expanse, often remaining on patrol for years, even solar decades, at a time.These "Long Patrols" avoid conflict if possible, and do not actively hunt down pirates, xenos, or other malcontents. Rather they scout the reaches of the Expanse, investigating uncharted worlds, keeping an eye on the activities of Rogue Traders, and monitoring the status of known threats and xenos empires.These patrols require a ship and crew that are self-reliant and versatile, and a captain both quick witted and able to operate independently from the chain of command without becoming either ineffectual or a Renegade. In fact, those captains who have proven particularly adept at the Long Patrol tend to seem more Rogue Trader than Navy officer.Most Rogue Traders avoid direct conflict with Navy vessels in the Expanse. However, once beyond the Maw or Metis Base, the laws of the Imperium mean nothing, and the only authority a Navy vessel has is that which is wrought by cold steel and Macrobatteries. Some Rogue Traders do not take kindly on what they see as the prying eyes of the Imperium investigating their business, and may show their displeasure with action.However, a Navy ship has far worse threats to contend with in the form of Chaos Reavers, pirate wolfpacks, Ork Freebooters, Eldar Corsair, and the dreaded Rak'Gol, not to mention the dangers of Warp Storms, grav-tides, supernovas, or a host of other "natural" threats. The Long Patrol is a coveted responsibility for the chance to win glory and honour, but it is a highly dangerous task just the same.
Battlefleet Koronus - Patrols of Note: Battlefleet Koronus regards certain Long Patrols as particularly important, assigning them trusted captains and reliable vessels.The Vigil of Undred-Undred Teef - The Ork worlds of Undred-Undred Teef are an obvious source of danger for the Imperial interests in the Koronus Expanse, as well as the entire Calixis Sector. However, ever since the loss of the Light Cruiser Rhadamanthine during a reconnaissance of the region, the Navy has chosen discretion for their patrols. Currently, the Sword-class Frigate Lord Marius Hax lurks in the outer Oort Cloud of the Stompgit System, hidden amongst a clutch of rocks and ice. Retrofitted for an extremely extended deployment, the Frigate may remain there for several decades, though Commander Larren Volos occasionally patrols nearby star systems to see how far the Ork infestation spreads.Investigating the Alenic Depths - As the Rak'Gol threat grows, Battlefleet Koronus has dispatched the Falchion-class Frigate Swift Judgement to the edges of the Alenic Depths in hopes to gather more information about these mysterious xenos. Commander Halik Kail is under orders to exercise extreme caution, but the vast distance and stellar disturbances means communications with the ship have been sporadic at best.Piracy in Winterscale's Realm - One of the few "explored" regions of the Expanse, the worlds in Winterscale's Realm are mostly likely to have regular contact and trade with the Imperium. As the value of this trade grows, Horne dispatched Captain Sasha Rivers and the Dauntless-class Light Cruiser Swiftsure to protect Imperial interests in the region. Thus far, the captain has destroyed three pirate vessels and taken two additional raiders as prizes -- success enough that the scattered pirate clans of the region are banding together in an attempt to destroy her.Struggles in the Foundling Worlds - Endeavours in the Foundling Worlds have suffered of late, from plagues, Warp Storms, and raids by pirates and xenos. The Sword-class Frigate Scintilla Majoris, Commander Helgrom McKrale commanding, has been patrolling the Foundling Worlds for the past five years, and has found itself caught in the midst of conflict. Of particular threat are the Chaos Reavers of Iniquity, and the Scintilla Majoris engaged them in several desperate battles within the last few years. Now, running low on supplies and ammunition, McKrale searches for a safe port where he can repair, re-provision, and reinforce his depleted crew.
Battlefleet Koronus - Zone 15: Originally the Fifth Station of Passage through the Maw, within the last century Passage Watch 27-Est has blockaded this small, barren star system (itself outside the more explored portions of the Koronus Passage) and a vast portion of surrounding space and declared it off-limits to any unauthorised vessels. Few Rogue Traders (or any non-Navy personnel, really) know what secrets lie within its borders.In truth, Zone 15 was established on discovery of a marvellous relic, an ancient xenos Warp Gate that allows ships to travel across the galaxy to the far-flung Jericho Reach in the Eastern Fringe. Originally, Passage Watch 27-Est merely watched over the gate as Adepts from the Adeptus Mechanicus investigated its mechanism and, more importantly, where it led.Later, as the powers of the Adeptus Terra decided to launch a Crusade through the gate to reclaim the Reach, Battlefleet Koronus switched to the role of guardians. Not only did they guard this vital supply line for the Achilus Crusade, they also protected the secret of the Warp Gate's existence.In hindsight, it was inevitable that Battlefleet Koronus would establish a permanent base in the region. Though the gate is actually located in the black depths of space, the Navy established their base in a nearby star system: System Designate 028-3B8-4D. This served their purposes two-fold, not only did the system provide many of the necessary resources to establish an installation, but it also added another layer of misdirection. Anyone looking for a Warp Gate would focus their attentions on a known Navy fortress, and not think to explore the void several thousand astronomical units distant.
Battlefleet Koronus - Fleet Base Metis: System Designate 028-3B8-4D is a barren collection of rocks orbiting a guttering red dwarf. Besides several rings of asteroids (the innermost being semi-molten), the only worlds in the system are several marginal telluric rocks with thin, dusty atmospheres of inert gas. In fact, its only appealing feature besides the Warp Gate is that it is near the centre of a relatively large region of space where Warp Storms do not intrude.Fleet Base Metis does not orbit any of these worlds, instead following an orbit amongst the outmost asteroid ring. Imperial strategists cunningly calculated the placement of the voidstation so the approaches are limited by the surrounding field, and several seemingly accessible approaches are covered by minefields and Macrobattery emplacements built into the larger rocks. The shifting orbital paths of the asteroids, coupled with the formidable perimeter defences and Battlefleet Koronus warships on station, make simply approaching the Fleet Base an onerous task.Even if a foe could reach Metis, they may well find themselves outclassed by the firepower the voidstation can bring to bear. The base itself is an extremely powerful bastion, a Ramilies-class Starfort. Originally designed by Artisan Magos Lian Ramilies from STC components, the Ramilies is as heavily armed as a squadron of warships and can remain self-sufficient for decades if not indefinitely. More importantly, a Ramilies can erect a Warpbubble over the entire structure, enabling it to enter the Warp and be towed by fleets of tugs to different star systems.Originally commissioned for the Achilus Crusade into the Jericho Reach, Fleet Base Metis was towed to System 028-3B8-4D in preparation for transport through the Warp Gate. However, last-minute studies of the gate and its properties by the senior Magi of the Adeptus Mechanicus determined it would not survive the journey. Transit through the gate is extremely turbulent, too much so for an unwieldy convoy of tugs and supply ships towing an unwieldy Starfort.Unfortunately, just passing through the Maw had proven extremely dangerous for the procession, and the risk of taking Metis back into the Calixis Sector was deemed too great. After the strategists who suggested using Metis in the Crusade had been punished for incompetence, the massive starfort was left in System Designate 028-3B8-4D, where it was reassigned to Passage Watch 27-Est almost by default.Since its accidental arrival, Metis has proved incredibly useful to the Achilus Crusade and Battlefleet Koronus. Not only is it a vital resupply and staging point for Fleet-Captain Nathaniel Horne's fleet, it also serves as a transit point for a large portion of the supplies still flowing through the Warp Gate to the Jericho Reach. Although some void ships travel directly to the gate, many others off-load their cargos at Metis and depart, never knowing the ultimate destination of their supplies. In turn, other ships make a continuous run through the Warp Gate to the Imperial Fortress Worlds on the far side.
Battlefleet Koronus - Notable Squadrons of Battlefleet Koronus: Triumph and Wrath of Saint Drusus Squadrons - Squadrons of Sword-class Frigates and Cobra-class Destroyers, respectively, are both cornerstones of Battlefleet Koronus' attempts to interdict smuggling and piracy. The Destroyers in Wrath of Saint Drusus Squadron are noted for destroying the wolfpack reaver warship Blooded Skull in a three-day running battle.
Battlefleet Orpheus - Battlefleet Orpheus: Battlefleet Orpheus is a permanent detachment of the Imperial Navy charged with the protection of the Orpheus Sector on the exterior borders of the Segmentum Tempestus. As one of the frontier fleets of the Imperium of Mankind, Battlefleet Orpheus lacks the numbers or tonnage of more powerful formations such as Battlefleet Gothic ot Battlefleet Armageddon, but as most branches of the Imperial Navy carries forth a proud history. Unfortunately, Battlefleet Orpheus has suffered severe casualties in the recent and still ongoing Orphean War. With the formal dissolution of the Orpheus Sector in 999.M41, the Battlefleet's fate remains unclear.
Battlefleet Orpheus - Segmentum Tempestus: The Segmentum Tempestus is one of the five Segmentum Majoris or great administrative regions which compose the domains of the Holy Emperor and the Imperium of Mankind. Located to the galactic South of the Segmentum Solar and Terra itself, the Segmentum Tempestus -- which loosely translates as "the Sector of Storms" -- owns its name to the turbulent Warp-routes and other strange phenomena that plague the Segmentum's shipping lanes. Perhaps mercifully for the forces of the Imperial Navy stationed there, the Segmentum Tempestus is free of large scale Warp-anomalies such as the Eye of Terror and the Maelstrom which offer pirates and armies of the Ruinous Powers a safe harbour to amass their strength before striking again at the Imperium. As such, the Imperial Navy of this region of space is more often confronted by xenos raiders rather than fully fledged warfleets, which the notable exceptions of the Ork-held domains of V'run and Jurn which occasionally launch invasions known as WAAAGHs!. Segmentum Headquarters are located on and around the Imperial Forge World of Bakka, which also commands the most powerful warfleet of the Segmentum, Battlefleet Bakka. Due to the uncertainties of the Warp within the Segmentum, the Battlefleets of the Segmentum Tempestus are used to long and often extended patrols, hunting down xenos and human corsairs or pirates and investigating distress signals while the most powerful units serve as tactical reserve with Battlefleet Bakka as was the case in the First Tyrannic War.
Battlefleet Orpheus - Aftermath: For Battlefleet Orpheus, the Battle of Amarah was a humbling defeat. Had it not been for the later intervention of the Minotaurs which launched a daring decapitation strike at the Dead Hand which succeeded in wounding the Necron Overlord commanding the assault, this battle could have ended in disaster. Through the sacrifice of uncounted millions of men, in place of utter defeat, the Imperium was able to achieve a bloody stalemate. Amarah remained in Imperial hands, but it had been ruined and it was evident that the Imperial armies would not be able to hold back another attack. Strategically speaking, Amarah and the rest of the Orpheus Sector were lost, for the only way to defeat the Maynarkh Dynasty would have been to call for a full-fledged Imperial Crusade, a campaign that would take years or even decades to be launched. Therefore, under authority of the High Lords of Terra, the Orpheus Sector was to be abandoned, the remaining worlds stripped of every useful resource and the Necrons to be held back whilst the neighbouring Eurydice-Sector was mobilized for war and its world fortified. With the promulgation of the Orphean Decree of 0266999.M41, the Orpheus Sector -- and by extension, Battlefleet Orpheus -- ceased to exist. What line-worthy warships survived would help the evacuation effort or fight off the Necrons as long as was strategically viable. Several worlds of the Orpheus Sector were marked for Exterminatus and by all logic, the remaining warships would then be integrated into other fleets. For the time being, the remains of Battlefleet Orpheus have gathered around Gorgon Quintus, the Imperial base of operation for the Orpheus Salvation Campaign.
Battlefleet Orpheus - Notable Vessels of Battlefleet Orpheus: Arica Dominus (Apocalypse-class Battleship) - The venerable Apocalypse-class Battleship Arica Dominus is the oldest ship serving in Battlefleet Orpheus, and the flagship of its current Grand Admiral, Knight-Commander Georg Carew. By all accounts, the Arica Dominus is a relic-ship and venerated throughout the Orpheus Sector for it was at her helm that Lord Tempestus Hal Orpheus stood when he conquered the worlds of the Orpheus Sector during the Dark Marches Crusade. It was also the Arica Dominus that carried the deceased Lord Tempestus’ body on a grand procession throughout the entire Orpheus Sector on the one thousandth anniversary of the Sector’s creation. The Arica Dominus’ long and proud history came to an abrupt end during the void-battle that opposed Battlefleet Orpheus and its allies to the dreaded Harvest Fleet of the Necron Maynarkh Dynasty. While the flagship did not go down unbloodied, the Arica Dominus was severely damaged by a trio of Scythe-class Harvest Ships, its starboard broadside venting air and the mighty battleship tumbling uncontrollably. The Arica Dominus’ current fate is unknown, although the chance remains that her wreck might have been salvaged in the cadre of the Orphean Salvation Campaign.Talisman of Grace (Retribution-class Battleship) - A venerable battleship of Battlefleet Orpheus, the Talisman of Grace was destroyed above Amarah by the Cairn-class Tomb Ship identified as the Sun Killer.Mendicatus (Heavy Cruiser, Unknown Class) - Destroyed by the Necrons at the Battle of Amarah during the Orphean War.Richtenback (Battlecruiser, Unknown Class) - A venerable Battlecruiser in service to Battlefleet Tempestus and later Battlefleet Orpheus, the Richtenback had fought in the glorious days of the Great Crusade only to meet its end at the Battle of Amarah.Thetis (Lunar-class Cruiser) - Engaged on patrol duty, the remains of the First Line Cruiser Thetis were discovered by an Adeptus Mechanicus deep range Infiltrator Unit in the Harrow Watch system. From what files and shiplogs could be extracted, it would appear that the Thetis encountered the invading Necron fleet while pursuing the remnants of Eldar Corsairs that had preyed upon the world of Bessarion. Ship logs further access that the Thetis’ Machine Spirit had somehow been tempered with by unknown forces and that they hoped to purge their systems with the help of the Magos of Harrow Watch, only to find the system already overrun. The Thetis has been regarded as Battlefleet Orpheus’ first casualty of the Orphean War.
Battlefleet Orpheus - Sources: Imperial Armour Volume Twelve: the Fall of Orpheus, pp.25-61
Battlefleet Scarus - Battlefleet Scarus: Battlefleet Scarus is a vast fleet of Imperial Navy vessels charged with the the protection of the Scarus Sector within the Segmentum Obscurus.Battlefleet Scarus forms a component part of the Bastion Fleets which make up the massive Battlefleet Obscurus that defends the entire segmentum, as do its neighbours, Battlefleets Cadia, Agripinaa, and Corona, as well as the more distant Battlefleets Gothic, Tamahl and Odessa, among others.Located near the Eye of Terror, this Imperial battlefleet must maintain constant vigilance against the forces of Chaos and the dreaded Black Crusades led by Abaddon the Despoiler.
Battlefleet Scarus - Scarus Sector: The Scarus Sector is one of the closest sectors to the once vitally important Fortress World of Cadia and the Cadian Gate, the only predictably stable Warp route that leads out of the Eye of Terror and into the realm of the Imperium.The Scarus Sector was discovered during the middle years of the Great Crusade in the late 30th Millennium. It was named for Captain Scarus of the Word Bearers Space Marine Legion's 52nd Company, whose Strike Cruiser Shield of Scarus and two other vessels were lost during a savage Warp Storm that occurred during the XVII Legion's sojourn in the Eye of Terror during the quest now known as the Pilgrimage of Lorgar some forty years before the start of the Horus Heresy.The Scarus Sector's capital is the Hive World of Eustis Majorus. The Scarus Sector borders the Calixis Sector to spinward and its known sub-sectors include Angelus, Antimar, Helican, Kerak and Ophidian.This sector is also known for being the theatre of operation for the renowned Inquisitors Gregor Eisenhorn and Gideon Ravenor. The Helican Sub-sector is the site of the Helican Schism, a wave of rebellion, terrorism and sabotage that swept the region in the early 41st Millennium.The Ophidian Sub-sector is noted for being the site of the Ophidian Campaign (also known as the Purge Campaign), in which Battlefleet Scarus wrested control of the sub-sector from Heretic forces. The campaign lasted from 240.M41 until 338.M41 -- and the Imperial victory represented a considerable achievement on such a short timescale.
Battlefleet Scarus - Outcome: The Orks were able to batter down Imperial defences with sheer doggedness and not a little help from Chaos Space Marines, particularly from the Night Lords and the Black Legion. Now the Orks rule Lethe Eleven and Mordax, along with most of Imbrium and Ulant.Gudrun and Nysa Stromolo stand on the brink of anarchy and the weapon forges of Mordax (rechristened "MoreDakka Prime" by the Orks) are infested with Lootas of the Death Skulls clan, a truly terrifying prospect to the devotees of the Machine God, who know full well the depths of blasphemy against the Omnissiah to which these barbaric xenos will sink.Battered survivors speak of hundreds of Gargants being built from the debris of war by enslaved servitors and their brutal greenskin overseers. The squat, menacing forms of more Gargant construction sites climb over the plains of Mordax dairy as Ork Mekaniaks race to be the first to complete their machines.Imperial stategists are now regarding the Green Kroosade as a full-scale Ork WAAAGH! Its Warlords are unknown but it would appear that Ghazghkull and Nazdreg are not among them. Only Thracian Primaris and Elnaur Delta have held firm against the Green Kroosade, bolstered first by the intervention of a Black Templars' crusade, and later by the stalwart defence mounted by the Salamanders Chapter and many other Space Marine contingents.The situation is grim in Scarus Sector. and none can see an end to the infestation given the dire situation across the region.
Battlefleet Scarus - Battlefleet Scarus Composition: At the time of the 13th Black Crusade, Battlefleet Scarus consisted of the following vessels that took part in the valiant Imperial defence:5 Battleships9 Cruiser Squadrons13 Escort Squadrons
Battlefleet Solar - Battlefleet Solar: Battlefleet Solar is the colossal fleet of Imperial Navy vessels charged with the the protection of Terra and the vitally important Segmentum Solar. The Imperial Navy orbital shipyards for the Segmentum are located on Luna, and the Imperial Navy headquarters in the Segmentum is based within Mars' Ring of Iron. Spacecraft and other large specialised constructs are fabricated in these orbital factories that spin around the equatorial belt of the Red Planet. Warships of the Battlefleet Solar are based in these huge floating docks, and other spacecraft from all over the Imperium often visit what are the largest man-made objects in the entire galaxy.
Battlefleet Solar - Unification: Following the end of "Old Night" (the Age of Strife), the Emperor of Mankind finally revealed Himself to the people of Terra. In secret, He had been planning for this moment in history for millennia, ever since the Age of Strife had fractured what remained of the ancient human federation which had once stretched across a part of the galaxy. The Emperor moved to create the military organisations He would need to begin the reunification of Mankind, and He used the raw materials at hand after millennia of savage conflict between the techno-barbarian nation-states of Old Earth. When the Emperor unified Terra the Lords of Mars scrutinised the unfolding events with envious eyes, and some among them recognised a kindred spirit, for the Emperor was to them a man of science who valued the machine and technological advancement, while others saw only a deadly new power to be feared. Some Tech-priests even began to equate the Emperor with their own Machine God in fulfillment of ancient prophecies and debate raged on Mars as whether or not to treat the Emperor as saviour or enemy.The Emperor was not ignorant of such facts, for He too had watched the Red Planet from afar and made his plans accordingly. The Emperor sought a negotiated alliance with the Mechanicum Parliament. In return for supplying materials for his armies and building a mighty war fleet for his Great Crusade into the stars, the Emperor promised to protect the Tech-priests and respect the sovereignty of their Forge Worlds scattered across the galaxy, affording them a level of independence unequalled within the Imperium. Furthermore, the Emperor gave to the service of the Mechanicum six of the Houses of the Navigators to replace their long dead thrall-Navigators, so that their ships might once again travel safely through the Warp. Given such an incentive Mars assented to an alliance with the nascent Imperium in the Treaty of Mars, and the powerful Fabricator-General was given a seat on the War Council of the Great Crusade. And so, Mars lent its arts to the construction of the massive Warp-capable Battleships that could transport the Emperor's Space Marine Legions across the galaxy.
Battlefleet Solar - The Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy: During the Great Crusade to reunite all the scattered colony worlds of Mankind beneath the rule of the Imperium of Man, both the Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy were originally a single service: the Imperial Army. Under this form of organisation, each Imperial Cruiser would have a single Imperial Army regiment assigned to it. Imperial Army regimental commanding officers held command over both their regiment and the warship assigned to them, making a single warship a tactically flexible combined arms unit and minimising the damage to the Imperium in the event of the loss of a starship, its crew and its assigned troops in the Warp. During the Horus Heresy, however, it appeared that some Traitor Army regiments used the power of the starships at their disposal in order to forge interstellar empires for themselves in the fires of anarchy that swept the galaxy during the seven bloody standard years of the Heresy. This tendency to make use of the power of an Imperial starship combined with that of an Imperial Army regiment to establish tyrannies on many worlds led to the eventual reorganisation of the Imperial Army into the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Navy to deliberately foster a bureaucratic and inter-service rivalry between the two. The Emperor of Mankind Himself issued a decree before His internment within the Golden Throne that starships could no longer be commanded by the officers of the newborn Imperial Guard but only by the members of their own service.
Battlefleet Solar - Battlefleet Solar: The fires of the Horus Heresy gave birth to the modern Imperial Navy and the Battlefleet Solar as it exists in the late 41st Millennium. The Imperium is divided into five fleet zones known as the Segmentae Majoris. Every starship of the Imperial Navy is assigned to one of these Segmentae, and falls under the command of the respective Lord High Admiral who commands all the Imperial Navy assets of that Segmentum. There are five Lord High Admirals, one controlling the assembled Battlefleet of each Segmentae. Although all 5 High Admirals are ranked equally, command of the Segmentum Solar is considered the oldest and therefore the most prestigious and senior posting. It is not uncommon for one of these Lord High Admirals to sit on the Senatorum Imperialis as a ruling High Lord of Terra.The Segmentum Solar is the central hub of the Imperium of Man and the most ancient and densely settled region of human space. Centred on Terra, where the Emperor of Mankind sits upon his Golden Throne, the central Segmentum is protected on four sides by the other Segmentae Majoris. The Battlefleet Solar of the Imperial Navy is the largest of the Segmentae fleets and is based in the orbital fleet docks of the so-called Ring of Iron that surrounds the Adeptus Mechanicus' primary Forge World of Mars. Since that time, this venerable battlefleet has continued to protect this vitally important Segmentum, and has on occasion provided warships to the far reaches of the galaxy to protect the Imperium from the various enemies of Mankind. Only during the very largest of wars does the Imperium bring Sector or Segmentum battlefleets together and dispatch them en masse to a warzone. Most recently, the Battlefleet Solar sent warships in support of the Imperial defence of the strategically important Cadian Gate from the predations of the Forces of Chaos during Abaddon the Despoiler's 13th Black Crusade in 999.M41.
Battleline Squad - Battleline Squad: A Battleline Squad is a tactical designation applied to Space Marine combat squads. The most numerous and strategically versatile warriors in a Codex Astartes-compliant Chapter form battleline squads.Battleline Squads are flexible enough to press home an attack, or hold a position with withering firepower. Whatever the strategic challenge, battleline squads are equal to the task.The designation began to be used in the wake of the reforms made to the Codex Astartes and the Adeptus Astartes themselves in the Era Indomitus after the resurrection of the Primarch Roboute Guilliman and the introduction of the Primaris Space Marines.
Battleline Squad - Types: Space Marine squads that are designated as Battleline Squads include:Tactical SquadIntercessor SquadHeavy Intercessor SquadInfiltrator Squad (Vanguard Space Marine formation)
Battleship - Battleship: A battleship is the type of warship that is the largest and most powerful available to any space-faring military fleet. The battleship is the master of space combat.These massive spacecraft are protected by nigh-impenetrable defences, carry enough firepower to obliterate a lesser warship, and usually have launch-bays for attack craft as well. The only weaknesses of a battleship are its expense and poor maneuverability.However, when accompanied by cruisers and escorts to offset these disadvantages, a battleship becomes a nearly unstoppable addition to any fleet.
Battleship - Imperial Battleships: The conduct of the Great Crusade required vessels by the thousands, vessels that could not only carry armies and bring apocalyptic destruction to bear, but that could also endure the perilous transit of Warpspace and endure the titanic forces and hardships of the Empyrean and the deep void both.Military vessels were needed, not only to replace losses, but meet the ever expanding demands of the expeditionary fleets, the Imperial Army's Armada Imperialis and, on a lesser scale, the Rogue Traders and local system defence navies.To satisfy this constant need, a bewildering variety of classes of warship were developed to fulfil an equally bewildering variety of roles. The principal (or capital) class of warship in the Great Crusade and the mainstay of the Imperial battlefleets was the battleship, with more than a thousand such mighty engines of war in operation at the height of the Imperium's expansion in the early 31st Millennium. They are intended to form the "line of battle" during fleet engagements and have armaments capable of smashing continents from orbit and controlling entire star systems by force of arms.Battleships are vast constructs, ranging commonly between 8 and 12 kilometres long (although some far larger vessels have been constructed) and can hold tens of thousands of crew, troops and hundreds of war machines as well as swarms of smaller attack craft depending on their design.Battleships were only threatened in ordinary circumstances by others of their own type and direct celestial phenomena like Warp storms, and as such were the mainstay of both the expeditionary fleets of the Great Crusade and the wider Armada Imperialis. In the 41st Millennium battleships still represent the foundation of the various segmentum and sector battlefleets' combat power in the Navis Imperialis, serving as their all-important ships of the line in any major void engagement.
Battleship - Imperial Navy Battleships: Dictatus-class Battleship (Great Crusade era)Gloriana-class Battleship (Great Crusade era)Goliath-class Battleship (Great Crusade era)Infernus-class Battleship  (Great Crusade era)Ironclad-class Battleship (Great Crusade era)Mortis Rex-class Battleship  (Great Crusade era)Tiamat-class Battleship  (Shield Bastion) (Great Crusade era)Ascension-class Battleship (ca. M33)Torrent-class Battleship (ca. M33)Majestic-class Battleship (ca. M41)Victory-class Battleship (Great Crusade era)Apocalypse-class BattleshipEmperor-class BattleshipInvincible-class Fast BattleshipNemesis-class Fleet CarrierOberon-class BattleshipRetribution-class BattleshipVanquisher-class Battleship
Battleship - Space Marine Battleships: Chapter BarqueBattle Barge
Battleship - Adeptus Mechanicus Battleships: Ark Mechanicus
Battleship - Chaos Battleships: Abyss-class Battleship (Horus Heresy era)Desolator-class BattleshipDespoiler-class BattleshipPlanet KillerCaptured or turncoat Imperial battleships
Battleship - Craftworld Aeldari Battleships: Void Stalker-class Battleship
Battleship - Necron Battleships: Cairn-class Tombship
Battleship - Ork Battleships: The Orks do not have any classes of true battleship per se, but there are some individual ships that rival "true" battleships in size and firepower.Ork Battleships
Battleship - T'au: Gal'leath (Explorer)-class BattleshipOr'es El'leath (Custodian)-class Carrier
Battleship - Allies: Demiurg Stronghold-class Commerce VesselDemiurg Bastion-class Commerce VesselKroot Warsphere
Battleship - Tyranid Battleships: Hive Ship
Battlewagon - Battlewagon: A Battlewagon is a catch-all term used for any type of Ork assault tank and heavy armoured troop transport. The term Battlewagon seems to refer overall to a category of large Ork armoured vehicles. A Battlewagon can be wheeled, tracked or a combination of the two and is used in many battlefield roles. It always carries a large complement of weapons.Sometimes these armaments are just Big Shootas, while on other vehicles they are large Killkannons. Battlewagons possess thick armour plating, multiple turrets and death rollers or rams. They also carry mobs of Ork Boyz, either internally or clinging onto its many handholds.Ork Battlewagons rumble to war on a collection of tracks, tyres and massive spiked rollers. Whether lumbering gun-fortresses, bright red speedsters or gaudy rust buckets smeared with Ork glyphs, Battlewagons are massive slabs of motorised junk built to carry big mobs of Greenskins into battle. No matter a Battlewagon's individual peculiarities, all fulfil the essential role of an armoured attack vehicle for Ork forces.A solid wedge of these mighty vehicles can provide a warband with a (somewhat rusty) mailed fist that can be driven down the throat of the enemy. With gunz booming and Deff Rollas coated in mud and gore, Ork Battlewagons carve a path of bloody ruin through the foe while their Ork passengers blaze away at the dazed survivors, bellowing "WAAAGH!" at the top of their lungs.
Battlewagon - Variants: Ork Battlewagons are as diverse in construction and weapons complement as the Greenskins who create them. A Battlewagon always possesses a heavy chassis, sometimes salvaged from other suitable vehicles such as the Imperium's tanks or heavy armoured transports. Others will be custom-built vehicles created from scratch by an Ork Mek and his assistants.Like other Ork vehicles a Battlewagon continues to be kustomised and grows to become an ever larger contraption as its owners add more weapons, extra fighting gantries and new engines, until a Battlewagon has grown into a true Battle Fortress. A Battle Fortress is a massive Battlewagon, expanded to the size and armament capacity of an Imperial Guard super-heavy tank. Such vehicles are favorite mounts for the most powerful of Ork Warbosses.There is no such thing as a standard Battlewagon, and there exist many named sub-types among the Ork forces. Titles such as Lungbursta, Gobsmasha, Krusha, Bonecruncha, Gorespeeda and Dakkawagon are used by the Orks to describe each kustomised Battlewagon's specific role. The Lungbursta and Gobsmasha are armed with large, noisy kannons whilst the Krusha is outfitted with a spiked death-rolla on the front and drives into the heart of the enemy, steamrolling over enemy infantry. The Gorespeeda is a popular vehicle with Speed Freeks and Evil Sunz, maximising its transport capacity to deliver mobs of Boyz into the thick of the fighting.A Battlewagon armed with a Supa-Kannon sacrifices all its other weaponry to mount this huge artillery piece. Most often this weapon is nothing more sophisticated than a looted Imperial Earthshaker Cannon. Among the Ork klanz, the Goffs and Evil Sunz dislike the very idea of artillery and rarely make use of a Supa-Kannon, preferring weapons that allow them to more directly enter the fray. For their part, the Bad Moons, Blood Axes and Deathskulls greatly enjoy the sheer power of artillery pieces and have been known to unleash the power of a Supa-Kannon upon the foe.Some Meks kustomise a Battlewagon chassis to carry a large Lifta-Droppa. In addition to its use moving heavy machinery about, demolishing buildings and clearing scrap, the Lifta-Droppa makes use of an unknown tractor-beam technology to pick up and move objects around the environment with anti-gravitic ease. Battlewagons outfitted with a Lifta-Droppa are known as Liftwagons. The Lifta-Droppa is powered by an "atom-smasha" reactor, which Meks take great glee in overloading, often with spectacular and deadly results.
Battlewagon - Wargear: Killkannon - The Killkannon is usually mounted on Battlewagon turrets. What these guns lack in accuracy and range, they more than compensate for in explosive punch and sheer, deafening noise.Kannon - A Kannon is a large-bore artillery piece, a crude but effective weapon that fires anti-tank shells or fused fragmentation rounds.Lobba - Lobbas are large, noisy mortars that are typically mounted onto Battlewagons.Zzap Gun - Zzap Guns fire unstable bolts of lightning. They have the potential to punch through the hull of even the heaviest enemy vehicle amid crackling showers of sparks, but have a tendency to overload and electrocute the operating gunner.
Battlewagon - Optional Wargear: ‘Ard Case - An armoured roof increases a wagon’s survivability...a bit.Deff Rolla - A deff rolla is a great spiked roller that brings the colossal weight of the Battlewagon to bear on anything in its way.Grabbin' Klaw - Mounted on a pivoting crane arm and controlled by a number of kunnin' levers, a grabbin' klaw latches on to enemy tanks to prevent them 'runnin' away'.Red Paint Job - Orks believe that a vehicle painted red can outstrip a similar vehicle that isn't. As odd as it may seem, they're not wrong.Reinforced Ram - A vehicle fitted with such a blunt but effective ram can plough through wreckage, walls and enemy vehicles with equal ease.Stikkbomb Chukka - A stikkbomb chukka is a crude mechanism that lobs volleys of stikkbombs into the midst of the foe.Wreckin' Ball - Orks love demolition almost as much as they love war. The spiked wreckin' balls they mount on their vehicles fulfil both desires at once.
Battlewagon - Notable Battlewagon Formations: Blitz Brigade - An Ork Blitz Brigade is a motorized formation comprising a large number of Battlewagons, and was a common sight on the dust-choked battlefields of Armageddon. Often the first warning the enemy will have of its approach is the distant rumble of numerous tank engines, followed swiftly by the Orks' opening salvoes. Moments later, the Blitz Brigade will be upon the foe, its Battlewagons ramming or smashing aside anything in their path, crushing defenders and defences alike beneath their massive bulk. The initial waves are sometimes laden with Boyz, eager to get into the fight at the earliest possible opportunity, but the role of a Blitz Brigade is primarily to destroy, not to deploy. Even without holds full of passengers, the sudden, devastating assault of a Blitz Brigade has broken many an enemy battle line wide open.
Battlewagon - Ordo Xenos Departmento Analyticus Techncial Specifications: Technical InformationDesignation:BattlewagonVehicle Codename:N/AVehicle Type:Assault Tank/Heavy Troop TransportCrew:Twenty Ork Boyz; If mounting a Killcannon, it may only carry twelveEstimated Weight:55 tonnes unladen (approx.)Length:10 metres (approx.)Width:6.5 metres (approx.)Height:4.5 metres (approx.)Estimated Max Speed:60 kph on road, 45 kph off roadMain Armament:Low velocity heavy gun (85mm) equipped with explosive shells, multiple Xenos pattern light autocannon (ref "Big Shoota")Secondary Armament:VariesTraverse & Elevation:VariesAmmunition:(Main Gun) 20 rounds (Approx.)Armour Type:Superstructural 20 mm-110 mm plating improvised ablativesTechnical InformationDesignation:Battlewagon (Supa-Kannon)Vehicle Codename:N/AVehicle Type:Self-Propelled GunCrew:Driver/multiple gunners (Varies)Estimated Weight:62 tonnes unladen (approx.)Length:10 metres (approx.)Width:6.5 metres (approx.)Height:5.5 metres (approx.)Estimated Max Speed:40 kphMain Armament:Heavy high velocity long-barrelled field artillery piece mounted for direct fire and bombardment.Secondary Armament:Varies by modification.Traverse & Elevation:120/+60 (Main Gun)Ammunition:(Main Gun) 30 rounds (Approx.)Armour Type:Superstructural 20 mm-110 mm plating improvised ablatives
Battlewagon - Sources: Codex: Orks (7th Edition), pp. 35, 59, 68, 82, 175-176Codex: Orks (4th Edition), pg. 102‘Ere We Go: Orks in Warhammer 40,000 (1st Edition), pp. 71, 75Imperial Armour II - Ork, Eldar & Dark Eldar Vehicles for Warhammer 40,000, pg. 28Imperial Armour Volume Eight - Raid on Kastorel-Novem, pp. 157-159, 161-162The Red WAAAGH! - A Codex: Orks Supplement (7th Edition), pp. 88-90,Waaagh! Ghazghkull - A Codex: Orks Supplement (7th Edition), pp. 12-13, 16-17, 19-20, 30, 67, 69, 80, 84, 142-144White Dwarf Magazine 128 (UK), "Warhammer 40,000 - New Rules for Vehicles in Warhammer 40,000: Warhammer 40,000 Vehicles," by Rick Priestley, pg. 36Forge World - Ork Battlewagon with Supa-Kannon
Bayonet - Bayonet: A Bayonet is a long Combat Knife or blade usually attached below the barrel of a ranged weapon to aid the user in close combat. The blade usually has one cutting edge and doubles as a combat knife when detached from the underslung attachement of the barrel. The Imperial Combat Bayonet is used exclusively by the Imperial Guard, although both the Space Marines and the Sisters of Battle have been known to make use of bayonets as well.Orks have also been known to make use of bayonet-like attachements they call "Stabby Bitz", but they are less of a standardised tool and more of a personal modification to the individual's weapon. Necron Gauss Weapons also commonly mount large blades underneath their muzzles similar to the classical Bayonet.
Be'lakor - Be'lakor: Be'lakor, also called the "Dark Master" and the "First-Damned," is the first Daemon Prince ever raised up from mortality by the combined will of the Ruinous Powers. Ancient beyond imagining, Be'lakor was the very first of his kind. Granted his dark apotheosis by the combined will of the Chaos Gods as Chaos Undivided, he was given a portion of each of their power. Be'lakor's fate has ever been influenced by the endless struggle between the gods, as he is beholden to each of the Dark Gods equally.At first, Be'lakor used the jealousy of the Ruinous Powers to gain their favours, never completely swearing his allegiance to any one of them. For a time, the gods fought over Be'lakor as children might squabble over a favoured toy. However, they soon realised the folly of combining their might into a single vessel, as Be'lakor proved nearly uncontrollable.They soon began to raise up new Daemon Princes, each god choosing only Chaos Champions that would be loyal to them, and them alone. Be'lakor remained the strongest of the Daemon Princes, though his might was diminished as the gods spread their power among their other servants. Nevertheless, Be'lakor remains a master of shadows, moving behind the veil of history to exert the will of the Chaos Gods upon the universe.In battle, Be'lakor strikes with his mighty claws and wields the Blade of Shadows, a massive sword that shifts in and out of focus, slipping from shape to shadow. As the weapon blinks between solidity and mere silhouette it slices through armour, scale, flesh or ferrocrete with ease. Whether the blade is a part of the Daemon itself, or perhaps an ancient gift bestowed upon him by the Dark Gods that Be'lakor somehow retained in spite of his fall from favour, none can truly say.Be'lakor flickers across the battlefield like smoke and shadow given form. His is an ominous and foreboding presence, a formless terror in the minds of men that saps resolve and spawns unreasoning panic. This terrible entity takes great pleasure in manipulating others to their eventual ruin, insinuating and manipulating from amid veils of secrecy and shadow. Only when the moment is right does Be'lakor manifest his true and terrible form, striking down his enemies with the Blade of Shadows even as he rakes claws of psychic energy through the meat of their minds.The most powerful and greatest of all Daemon Princes, Be'lakor has ruled as a demigod over galactic empires beyond count. He is a being of infinite cunning and absolute cruelty who destroys all that he touches, and jealously covets the favour of the Ruinous Powers. All these qualities make Be'lakor a capricious being, whose only constants are the malice with which he destroys those who oppose him, and his endless jealousy towards those who successfully court the favour of the Gods of Chaos.
Be'lakor - Ancient Evil: The origins of Be'lakor are spoken of only as legends and rumour; tales torn from the tongues of captive Daemons or forbidden lore recorded on ancient crypt walls. Crude pictographs found in the caves of dry, dead worlds or primitive statues hidden in the sunken depths of Death World oceans speak to Be'lakor's immortal reign within the galaxy.Scholars have been driven mad looking for hints of the Daemon Prince's presence woven into the history of the universe, always lurking in the shadows behind the rise and expansion of the mortal races. Even the secretive Grey Knights Chapter of Space Marines, created by the Emperor to combat the daemonic forces of the Warp, know little of Be'lakor's true history, only conflicting lies and impossible fabrications.Legends tell of Be'lakor ruling over mortal empires since the dawn of time, the Daemon Prince conquering a world and subjugating its people, forcing them to worship him as a god. When the race would fall into decline, ruined by Be'lakor's greed and malevolence, the Daemon Prince would move on, finding a new burgeoning sentient species to be his playthings. Several times, the Daemon Prince is said to have been the lord of sector-spanning stellar empires, a dark, Daemon-god ruling over a thousand worlds and billions of loyal followers.Relics and the ruins of Dead Worlds still exist that suggest there may be some truth to these legends; whether their source was Be'lakor or not is more difficult to say. The Adeptus Mechanicus Tech-Magos Kyber has spent his life piecing together the history of Be'lakor in his exploration of the galactic wilderness, hunting down ancient relics of the Dark Age of Technology.Following the faint trail left by Be'lakor's passage through history, Magos Kyber has found winged statues carved from the fossilised bones of psykers, crumbling scrolls of human skin that show thousands of tiny figures bowing down before a dark winged shape and stygian horn-fragments sealed in sacred caskets. Unaware of Be'lakor's true nature, Kyber has become convinced that all these objects are linked to one alien overlord, an ancient creature that has existed for millions of Terran years in various guises and is behind countless vile deeds.Unknown to Kyber, he is being manipulated by Be'lakor. The Daemon Prince placed the first clues to his existence in Kyber's path, leading the Magos to the ruins of a world he once ruled. From this seed of curiosity, Kyber has discovered new star systems, planets and ruined empires long forgotten by Be'lakor.While the Daemon Prince helps Kyber from the shadows, the Magos gathers up the hidden and forgotten legacy Be'lakor has left behind, ultimately returning to the Daemon Prince his lost objects of power, while also erasing his existence from history.