Sicaran Battle Tank

One hell of a tank I say.

The Sicaran Battle Tank was an awesome heavy tank that was used by the Space Marine Legions near the end of the Great Crusade and during the Horus Heresy. Created by the combined brainstorming of Ferrus Manus, Roboute Guilliman and some Adeptus Mechanicus Magos members (with the help of some elements derived from Rhino and Land Raider STC's), the Sicaran was designed to be a fast moving tank hunter that would compliment both the Predator Tank and Land Raider. In fact, it was so good that Horus himself made sure that a large number of these tanks were at his and the Traitor Legion's disposal before he got on with his rebellion.

Armed with two Herakles Accelerator Cannons, two sponson-mounted Lascannons (as well a forwards mounted Heavy Bolter), nicely armored, swift for its size, and equipped with systems that allows it to hit fast moving objects and right where it would hurt the enemy most, the Sicaran Battle Tank was a valuable asset for the Marine Legions.

Given that one of it's creators (Guilliman) is still alive and the Sicaran was made from the best bits of at least two completely different STC vehicles the Imperium could still do that to gain a huge advantage over their enemies. But that would be common sense, which is heresy.

Variants

Sicaran Venator

Venator. When a standard Sicaran won't cut it.

The Venator (that's Latin for "Hunter"). Swapping its Accelerator Cannons and Heavy Bolter for a Neutron Laser Projector, this Sicaran variant was even more efficient in its role as tank destroyer. The lack of a turret (which is standard for the vanilla Sicaran Battle Tank) meant that the vehicle had to turn its whole self to face a enemy (which could be fatal when it comes to fighting enemies from multiple directions, especially when taking into account that the reactor for the neutron laser was highly unstable and tended to explode violently if the vehicle was heavily damaged).

During the Great Crusade, its advanced Neutron Laser was specially designed to provide the Legiones Astartes with superior firepower, enabling it to destroy any and all xenos threats that might be encountered by the expanding armies of the nascent Imperium. However, by the time of the Horus Heresy, the Venator proved just as capable as fucking over Imperium vehicles as well. Even despite limited production capabilities and rarity during those times, the Venator proved just too tough and valuable for both sides to to destroy. Hence, Venators can still be found in the 41st millennium even to this day (Although they are most likely been mothballed by now).

Anyways, the vehicle can also be armed with a single pintle-mounted, remote-controlled Heavy Bolter to engage infantry that gets too close and two sponson-mounted weapons, which can be either Heavy Bolters or Lascannons. The Sicaran Venator can also be outfitted with the standard Hunter-Killer Missile Launcher just in case if you want even more anti-armor buffs, Extra Armour Plating, a Dozer Blade, an Auxiliary Drive system, Extra Armour Plating, a Searchlight, or Smoke Launchers.

Sicaran Arcus

Arcus. For macross missile massacres.

The Sicaran Arcus Strike Tank is one of the more unusual tanks available to the Space Marine Legions. Once the Arcus Strike Tank was one of the most advanced support platforms available to the Space Marine Legion, designed by Roboute Guilliman as a tank capable of filling multiple tactical niches at a time thanks to its wide variety of specialized warheads. However, one of the aforementioned warheads was specifically designed to destroy Battle-Automata like those used by the Mechanicum, and this quickly led them to declare the tank and its specialized ammunition an affront to the Omnissiah.

Due to their refusal to produce or maintain either the Arcus missile launchers or their more exotic warheads, these advanced support platforms have degenerated due to lack of maintenance, and their advanced armaments have been replaced with more common rotary launchers. This has done little to blunt the offensive capabilities of the Strike Tank, which is still armed with a twin rotary launcher capable of saturating an area with a hail of incendiary missiles. Now it is used by the Space Marine Chapters that retain examples of this rare pattern as a fast strike tank variant to the more traditional Whirlwind Artillery Tank.

The Arcus Strike Tank looks similar to the other Sicaran-class vehicles, distinguished by its large twin rotary launcher. This weapon shares design traits with other missile launchers in the Space Marine Legions, from the man-portable versions found on Heavy Support Squads to the notorious scorpius missile launcher found on the Whirlwind Scorpius. The mouth of each launcher contains a bundle of missiles and has two huge ammo drums.

At S 5 and AP -2, the Twin rotary missile launcher may not sound that outstanding. However, once you realize it is a Heavy 2D6 weapon with a BS at 3+ (Assuming it is at full health), it becomes a beast of machine with high chances of blowing up low toughness mobs in a single strike. A Heavy 2D6 weapon not sounding good enough for you? Than maybe try out the Arcus' special ability called the Vanguard Strike which change the rotary missile launcher into a Heavy 4D6 at the price of not being able to fire this weapon again until the end of your next turn.

The 30k version, on the other hand, lives up to the concept Guilliman had originally come up with thanks to its ability to fill several different battlefield roles at once. Its Arcus Launcher has a selection of four different warhead types:

• Arcus Warheads: 36", S8 AP2, Heavy 4, Terminal Tracking (re-rolls successful Jink and Cover saves), Cluster Warhead (when scoring a penetrating hit, roll on the vehicle damage table D3 times and pick the highest result). The designated anti-armor loadout, able to wreck vehicles and MEQ/TEQs alike.
• Skyspear Warheads: 48", S7 AP3, Heavy 4, Terminal Tracking, Skyfire and Interceptor. Allows the Arcus to serve as a potent anti-aircraft platform.
• Pyrax Warheads: 36", S5 AP4, Heavy 2, Large Blast, Ignores Cover. Point at hordes and make them die.
• Neutron-Flux Warheads: 24", S7 AP4, Heavy 4, Terminal Tracking, Neutron-Flux (causes Instant Death to all models with the Cybernetica Cortex special rule). This is the one the Mechanicum threw a fit over.

Sicaran Punisher

Punisher. For when you want to cleanse horde armies.

The Punisher-type Sicaran variant came into general use amongst the various Space Marine Legions in the final days of the Great Crusade, however the punisher rotary cannon it mounts has a far older history. Originally mounted on the now rare Cerberus pattern main battle tanks, the punisher had established a reputation as a deadly tool in the eradication of massed conscript infantry or hordes of swarming xenos creatures, limited only by its relatively short range and prodigious appetite for munitions. Married to the Sicaran hull, where the impressive speed of that vehicle effectively negated the short range of the weapon, and the complex feed assemblies developed as part of the various Terran accelerator cannon, the punisher is once again in widespread use among the Legions, though now it is employed against the very warriors it was intended to protect.

A high-speed ‘destroyer’ tank, the Sicaran Battle Tank has seen countless battlefields, complementing the more common Predator and Land Raider designs. This variant boasts the same basic hull shape – very much a case of function over form, though its wide tracks and thick armour give the miniature a certain austere charm – with an imposing punisher rotary cannon bolted to the top, ready to fire a ceaseless barrage of high calibre shells.

The Sicaran Punisher can also be available for 40k which makes it Awesome. Seems that ol'Gully is bringing back his favorite toys back to production. To give you a clue of its power in 8th ed, its Punisher Rotary Cannon is a Heavy 18, S 5, AP -1 beast of a gun. Sure a S 5 may not sound much, but when paired with the tank's BS of 3+ with four attacks, you can kiss your ass good by to your horde armies as half of them is going to be wiped out on the first turn.

Sicaran Omega

Omega. Twin-linked Plasma Cannons for twice the fun.

Another tank-destroying version, the Omega is armed with a pair of massive Plasma Weapons.

Gallery

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  The Whirlwind Scorpius' bigger brother.

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  Move over Leman Russ Punisher, there is a new kid in town.

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  When you thought the Macharius Omega was a bad bastard....

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  Hey! Who knew the Orks was so into journalistism? And corporate advertising? Huh, the Orks sure learn from the best.