Difference between revisions of "Demolisher cannon"

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The '''Demolisher cannon''' is a short range, large bore direct fire cannon mounted on various vehicles, but most commonly on the [[Baneblade]] Super heavy tank, Leman Russ Demolisher and [[Space marine]] [[Vindicator]]. Primarily designed with Siege, Urban, and Bunker Busting warfare in mind, the cannon has also known to be of great use against enemy vehicles and infantry, destroying both with equal ease.  
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{{AstraMilitarumPortal}}
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The '''Demolisher Cannon''' is a short-range, large-bore direct fire cannon mounted on various [[Imperial]] vehicles, but most commonly on the [[Baneblade]], [[Leman Russ Demolisher]] and [[Vindicator]]. Primarily designed with siege, urban, and bunker-busting warfare in mind, the cannon has also been known to be of great use against enemy vehicles and infantry, destroying both with equal ease.{{Fn|1}}{{Fn|4a}}{{Fn|4b}}
  
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It's destructive power is accomplished via use of large armor penetrating shells, which explode milliseconds after impact. Because of this slightly delayed blast, this renders all but the most thickest of armor useless. It's explosive power is also tremendous, sending out large pieces of hot shrapnel as well as powerful concussive effects. To this end, it's been known for crews of Vindicator tanks to form "Line Breaker" squadrons and combine this mighty fire power into salvo's of 3 or more shots against one target, causing great destruction and flattening entire areas of terrain (as well as anyone unlucky enough to be inside it at the time)<sup>1</sup>
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==Overview==
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[[Image:Ultramarines-Vindicator.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Vindicator]] equipped with a Demolisher cannon.]]
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The Demolisher Cannon fires siege shells weighing 350 pounds,{{Fn|7}} special ammunition much larger than that used in the [[Battle Cannon]], allowing it to punch through layers of concrete and [[plasteel]] alike. A Demolisher shell is constructed with an outer layer of standard high explosive and shrapnel, which surrounds a chemical core. Upon impact, the explosive layer detonates, punching a hole in the enemy's armour and spreading shrapnel over a wide area. It also starts a chemical reaction in the core, causing it to super-heat into a jet of [[plasma]], which lances through the compromised armour, spreading molten death over a wide area and literally ripping the target from the inside out. The tremendous recoil produced by firing the cannon is capable of lifting the front end of a tank off the ground and, were it fired while moving, risk causing it to roll over.{{Fn|1}} A Demolisher shell has the strength to topple armoured fortress gates, tear open bunkers made from reinforced [[ferrocrete]]{{Fn|7}} and is so massive, its weight alone could crush a tank and the force of its blast can atomise the most heavily armed target, leaving only a crater.{{Fn|6}} Its immediate lethal blast-radius is estimated to be at around forty yards. Due to the balloon effect and overpressure shock the Demolisher Cannon can even inflict kills up to three times this distance.{{Fn|7}} However, the cannon has an effective range of one kilometre,{{Fn|3}} limiting its utility to short-ranged combat such as urban and siege warfare.{{Fn|1}}{{Fn|4a}} At point-blank range even the tank the Demolisher Cannon was fired from will sustain damage and its crew will most likely suffer from burst blood vessels, ruptured eardrums, severe nosebleeds and even more serious consequences.{{Fn|7}}
  
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The Demolisher cannons only main draw back comes at it's short range compared to many other ordinance weapons. This forces tanks that use this weapon to advanced dangerously close to the enemy, often in range of their anti-tank forces, instead of safely firing from a long range or out of sight. Because of this, many tanks armed with one will also be equipped with extra armor and dozer blades or siege shields.
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The Demolisher Cannon used by [[Vindicator]]s fires a special siege shell, consisting of an armour-piercing tip, heavy shell casing and a massive explosive charge micro-fused to allow penetration of a building or bunker before detonating.{{Fn|5}} The siege shell is launched thanks to an on-board rocket engine, which uses solid propellant shaped to control its time and rate of burn for maximum accuracy. In order to avoid the build-up of rocket blast-back, this gas is vented when the cannon is fired to prevent the barrel from deforming or bursting from over-pressure. The sheer size and mass of the shell, however, reduces its stowage capacity and accuracy over long ranges, even with fin stabilisation and booster burns.{{Fn|2a}}{{Fn|2b}} As such it is also limited to being used for destroying enemy fortifications and fighting in close-quarters combat such as jungle warfare.{{Fn|2a}}{{Fn|2b}}{{Fn|4b}}
  
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==See also==
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*[[Imperial Guard Weaponry (List)]]
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*[[Space Marine Weaponry (List)]]
  
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== Sources ==
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==Sources==
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*<sup>1</sup>: Apocalypse Rule book
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*{{Endn|1}}: [[Codex: Imperial Guard (2nd Edition)]], pg. 23
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* [[Codex: Space Marines 3rd edition]]
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*2: [[Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition]]:
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**{{Endn|2a}}: pg. 68
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**{{Endn|2b}}: pg. 251
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*{{Endn|3}}: [[Inferno! 3]], pg. 37
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*4: [[Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition)]]
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**{{Endn|4a}}: pg. 49
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**{{Endn|4b}}: pg. 80
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*{{Endn|5}}: [[Hunt for Voldorius (Novel)]], Chapter 12
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*{{Endn|6}}: [[Cadia: A Codex Astra Militarum Supplement]], pg. 68
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*{{Endn|7}}: [[Demolisher (Novel)]], Chapter Twenty
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[[Category:Ordnance Weapons]]
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[[Category:Weapons (Astra Militarum)]]
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[[Category:Weapons (Chaos Space Marines)]]
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[[Category:Weapons (Space Marines)]]
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[[de:Demolishergeschütz]]

Latest revision as of 22:35, 26 January 2026

The Demolisher Cannon is a short-range, large-bore direct fire cannon mounted on various Imperial vehicles, but most commonly on the Baneblade, Leman Russ Demolisher and Vindicator. Primarily designed with siege, urban, and bunker-busting warfare in mind, the cannon has also been known to be of great use against enemy vehicles and infantry, destroying both with equal ease.[1][4a][4b]

Overview

A Vindicator equipped with a Demolisher cannon.

The Demolisher Cannon fires siege shells weighing 350 pounds,[7] special ammunition much larger than that used in the Battle Cannon, allowing it to punch through layers of concrete and plasteel alike. A Demolisher shell is constructed with an outer layer of standard high explosive and shrapnel, which surrounds a chemical core. Upon impact, the explosive layer detonates, punching a hole in the enemy's armour and spreading shrapnel over a wide area. It also starts a chemical reaction in the core, causing it to super-heat into a jet of plasma, which lances through the compromised armour, spreading molten death over a wide area and literally ripping the target from the inside out. The tremendous recoil produced by firing the cannon is capable of lifting the front end of a tank off the ground and, were it fired while moving, risk causing it to roll over.[1] A Demolisher shell has the strength to topple armoured fortress gates, tear open bunkers made from reinforced ferrocrete[7] and is so massive, its weight alone could crush a tank and the force of its blast can atomise the most heavily armed target, leaving only a crater.[6] Its immediate lethal blast-radius is estimated to be at around forty yards. Due to the balloon effect and overpressure shock the Demolisher Cannon can even inflict kills up to three times this distance.[7] However, the cannon has an effective range of one kilometre,[3] limiting its utility to short-ranged combat such as urban and siege warfare.[1][4a] At point-blank range even the tank the Demolisher Cannon was fired from will sustain damage and its crew will most likely suffer from burst blood vessels, ruptured eardrums, severe nosebleeds and even more serious consequences.[7]

The Demolisher Cannon used by Vindicators fires a special siege shell, consisting of an armour-piercing tip, heavy shell casing and a massive explosive charge micro-fused to allow penetration of a building or bunker before detonating.[5] The siege shell is launched thanks to an on-board rocket engine, which uses solid propellant shaped to control its time and rate of burn for maximum accuracy. In order to avoid the build-up of rocket blast-back, this gas is vented when the cannon is fired to prevent the barrel from deforming or bursting from over-pressure. The sheer size and mass of the shell, however, reduces its stowage capacity and accuracy over long ranges, even with fin stabilisation and booster burns.[2a][2b] As such it is also limited to being used for destroying enemy fortifications and fighting in close-quarters combat such as jungle warfare.[2a][2b][4b]

See also

Sources

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