Minotaur Artillery Tank
The Minotaur Artillery Tank is a self-propelled artillery vehicle of the Imperial Guard. Heavily armoured and armed with two Earthshaker Cannons, this highly-durable vehicle is intended to operate in the heart of combat, providing fire support while under threat from the enemy's guns and redeploying under its own power.[1][6a] In the 41st Millennium and beyond, it is an ancient, all but unknown in Imperial Guard, yet is sought after greatly by the forces of Chaos.[6a]
History
The exact origins of the Minotaur, like so many vehicles, is not entirely known[1] despite what should be a long and storied provenance.[6a] Some scholars believe it to predate even the Great Crusade, citing certain frescos on the Templis Nemesii on Holy Terra itself. Others cite the similarities it shares with the Malcador, itself an ancient design with a forgotten history, to theorize that it may be a variant of the heavy tank, or at least was constructed with the intention of using the same facilities. Regardless by the time of the 41st Millennium the Minotaur has become a rare vehicle, largely supplanted by the Basilisk in Imperial Guard service, though it has remained in use among certain siege artillery regiments and thousands are believed to be held in Departmento Munitorum strategic reserves.[1]
At the Siege of Vraks the Minotaur made a relatively late appearance, employed by the forces of Chaos as the Imperial besiegers began assaulting the certain wall and Citadel itself. About a hundred are believed to have been contained within Vraks' deep storage arsenals and were employed to devastating effect in artillery duels. However, due to the aggressive manner in which they were used by the traitors, around a dozen were recovered[1] by the Death Korps' Quartermasters[2] and later re-consecrated by the Adeptus Mechanicus.[1]
Technical Information
The Minotaur has far greater firepower and durability than the Basilisk, which has replaced it.[5][6a] While sharing the chassis and engine of the Malcador, the Minotaur has many unusual features not found in other Imperial artillery vehicles. The most notable of these is its deck layout, with engines, drive systems and ammunition evenly distributed across the superstructure, the crew compartment placed in the front of the vehicle and the twin primary weapons placed on a central axis point facing rearwards. The Minotaur is therefore able to "reverse" into prepared firing positions and then rapidly move "forward" through ground it has already cleared, while the centreline mounting not only allows it to carry its massive payload but also provide inherent recoil stabilisation when firing. In addition to the thick armour plating more commonly found on heavier tanks, the Minotaur is also equipped with a Searchlight and Smoke Launchers, and can be upgraded with Extra Armour, a Hunter-Killer Missile, Dozer Blades and a pintle-mounted Storm Bolter or Heavy Stubber.[1]
If the Minotaur has one drawback it is the complexity of its construction. This is especially true for its advanced hydraulic and recoil compensation systems and amount of armoured protection it requires, factors which have contributed to its steady decline over the years.[1]
| Vehicle Name: | Minotaur[1] | Main Armament: | Twin-Earthshaker Cannons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | Unknown | Secondary Armament: | None |
| Known Patterns: | I-IX | Traverse: | 0° |
| Crew: | Driver, Commander, 2 x Loaders | Elevation: | From -0° to 58° |
| Powerplant: | HL330 V12 Multi-Fuel | Main Ammunition: | 40 Shots |
| Weight: | 98 Tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | N/A |
| Length: | 10.7m | ||
| Width: | 4.35m | Armour | |
| Height: | 4.7m | ||
| Ground Clearance: | .65m | Superstructure: | 180mm |
| Fording Depth: | Hull: | 160mm | |
| Max Speed - on road | 25kph | Gun Mantlet | N/A |
| Max Speed - off road: | 18kph | Vehicle Designation: | 8577-032-8391-M1038 |
| Transport Capacity: | N/A | Firing Ports: | N/A |
| Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | N/A |
Usage by Chaos
The minotaur is highly prized among the renegade armies of Chaos, such as The Lost and the Damned and Traitor Guard.[6a] It is often pressed into service by such heretics against Adeptus Arbites precinct-bastions and the fortified palaces of planetary governors, such locations often attracting the ire and hatred of militia turned renegade or invading mutant hordes seeking to tear down the most visible symbols of Imperial rule.[6b]
Images
Minotaur Miniature
Renegade Minotaur
Trivia
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Notes
- The name Minotaur was shared with a four-wheeled armoured vehicle also in service with the Imperial Guard. The Minotaur was a command version of the Centaur Reconnaissance Vehicle.[3] It was later renamed as the Pegasus Command Vehicle to avoid confusion. [4]
Sources
- 1: Imperial Armour Volume Seven - The Siege of Vraks - Part Three pg. 115
- 2: Imperial Armour Volume One - Second Edition: Imperial Guard, pg. 152
- 3: The Citadel Journal 15, pg. 11
- 4: White Dwarf 270 (UK), pg. 42
- 5: Imperial Armour - Apocalypse II, pg. 8
- 6: Imperial Armour Volume Thirteen - War Machines of the Lost and the Damned: