Fellblade
The Fellblade is a super heavy tank used by the Space Marines during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy. Based on the same STC as the Baneblade and Deathhammer, it formed a mainstay of the Space Marine Legions' heavy armoured brigades during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy.[1][3]
Contents
Overview
History
The Fellblade was a result of a lengthy project during the mid-Great Crusade by a conclave of Tech-Magi led by Macrotek Arginoss Krown as well as representatives from four other Forge Worlds to develop a dedicated Super-Heavy Tank for the Legiones Astartes. Over the course of the project disputes broke out between the various factions, and it was agreed that each would present their own prototype for approval by the War Council. Over the development phase there were numerous accidents, including the deaths of two of the competing project leaders. Three designs were ultimately submitted, and the Fabricator-General of Mars himself intervened to choose a final proposal. This prototype was based on the STC of the venerable Baneblade, though was significantly more advanced.[10]
Initially, the Fellblade saw deployment with the Space Marine Legions as an infantry support vehicle, often fighting individually to bolster their battleline and destroy targets of opportunity. Towards the end of the Great Crusade however, as their numbers increased, many Legions would deploy them in squadrons that would be given free rein to respond to threats wherever they were found. They were widely used by both loyalist and traitor legions during the subsequent Horus Heresy.[10]
As of M41, the Fellblade is all but unknown to the Adeptus Astartes and very few are still in service.[4a] The last known reference shows that, as of early M40, less than 100 Fellblades are known to have been produced in the last 500 years.[4b]
Design
While based on the Baneblade chassis, the Fellblade was almost unrecognizable from its predecessor. Its slopped multi-layered Metaplas playing is almost half the thickness of the Baneblade, yet refined to the point of providing the same level of protection while reducing the overall weight.[10]
The Fellblade is most notable for its use of both Mechanicum atomantic arc-reactor, which gave it a theoretical infinite operational duration in the field that was limited only by the requirements of crew and repairs/ammunition. Its primary weapon is a twin Accelerator Cannon developed by the Forge World of Tigrus which utilizes a complex vacuum-based system that uses an overpressure mechanism to propel heavy shells with greater force than would be possible in a conventional cannon. This makes the firing system highly stable and accurate. It also results in less propellant charge per shell, allowing more of it to be dedicated to carrying its payload. The weapon is aided by a complex auto-loading mechanism slaved directly to the commander's station which allows for rapid shell selection that can load different shells for each of its twin cannons, allowing for maximum battlefield versatility.[10]
Besides its Accelerator Cannons, the Fellblade has numerous support weapons. This includes a front hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon for destroying structures and clearing line of sight. It also has twin hull-mounted Heavy Bolters or Heavy Flamers slaved to the driver's station for anti-infantry requirements. Its sponsons can be equipped with twin quad Lascannons or Laser Destroyers for lighter anti-tank roles or quad Gravis Heavy Bolter arrays for anti-infantry assault and a variety of pintle-mounted weapons such as a Heavy Bolter, Heavy Flamer, Hunter-Killer Missile, or Multi-Melta.[10]
It mounted a twin-linked Accelerator Cannon as its primary weapon and would also take to the field equipped with a suite of secondary weapons: a demolisher cannon, sponson-mounted quad-lascannons or laser destroyers, hull-mounted twin-linked heavy flamers or heavy bolters, and a variety of pintle-mounted weapons such as a Heavy Bolter.[3]
Chaos Fellblades
Fellblades are still used by Chaos Space Marine warbands, but have long since been corrupted by the Warp and Dark Mechanicum. Many have since become possessed by Daemons and are required to be chained down outside of combat, lest they lash out at those around them. Most are relics of the Great Crusade and thus are most commonly seen among the original Traitor Space Marine Legions.[5]
Technical Information
| Vehicle Name: | Fellblade[4b] | Main Armament: | Twin Accelerator Cannons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forge World of Origin: | Mars/Tigrus | Secondary Armament: | Demolisher Cannon, Twin-Linked Heavy Flamers or Heavy Bolters, x2 Sponson quad Lascannons, Heavy Bolters, or Laser Destroyers[3] |
| Known Patterns: | I-VI | Traverse: | 360° |
| Crew: | Commander, Driver, x2 Gunners | Elevation: | From -32° to +42° |
| Powerplant: | Atomantic plasma hybrid | Main Ammunition: | 42 Rounds |
| Weight: | 302 tonnes | Secondary Ammunition: | 28 Rounds/Unlimited Lascannon cell feed |
| Length: | 12.5m | ||
| Width: | 8.2m | Armour | |
| Height: | 5.8m | ||
| Ground Clearance: | 1.5m | Superstructure: | 130mm |
| Fording Depth: | Hull: | 120mm | |
| Max Speed - on road | 32kph | Gun Mantlet | 120mm |
| Max Speed - off road: | 20kph | Vehicle Designation: | Unknown |
| Transport Capacity: | None | Firing Ports: | N/A |
| Access Points: | N/A | Turret: | 120mm |
Known Fellblades
- Khatek — of the Sons of Horus[1]
- Mori Drakka — of the Charnel Guard[4c]
- Parabellum — of the World Eaters[4c]
- Wrath of Calth — of the Ultramarines[6]
- Triumph's Hand - of the Ultramarines
Images
Forge World World Eaters Fellblade resin miniature[2]
Plastic Fellblade for The Horus Heresy (Game)[7]
Epic-scale Fellblade for Legions Imperialis[9]
See also
- Glaive — A similar tank pattern equipped with a Volkite Carronade
- Falchion — A similar tank pattern equipped with a Volcano Cannon
Sources
- 1: Horus Heresy CCG
- 2: Forge World Legion Fellblade (last accessed 10 March 2015)
- 3: The Horus Heresy Book One - Betrayal, pg. 224
- 4: Imperial Armour Volume Two - Second Edition:
- 5: Imperial Armour Volume Thirteen - War Machines of the Lost and the Damned, pg. 58
- 6: White Dwarf 123 (2016), pgs. 20-21 — Golden Demon: Horus Heresy
- 7: Warhammer Community: The mighty Legion Fellblade rolls out of the forges in plastic (posted 23/05/2025) (archived from the original, last accessed 24 May 2025)
- 8: Warhammer Community: Saturnine: Your questions on the new edition of Horus Heresy answered (posted 23/05/2025) (archived from the original, last accessed 24 May 2025)
- 9: Warhammer Community: World Championships Preview – Rule the Legions Imperialis battlefield with super-heavy tanks and Saturnine Terminators (archived from the original 7 November 2025, last accessed 7 November 2025)
- 10: Journal Tactica: Mailed Fist - Legiones Astartes Super-Heavy Tanks – pgs. 10-11
