Fire Prism
The Fire Prism or Illum Zar, known in prior editions as a Deathstalker,[3b] is an Eldar grav-tank based on the Falcon chassis. A dedicated anti-tank variant, the Fire Prism sacrifices its ability to transport troops for superior firepower while retaining the ability to move at high speed. Fire Prisms play a key part in Eldar armoured warfare tactics, outflanking the enemy and attacking from multiple directions to break up their cohesion.[2][3]
Technical Information
The centerpiece of the Fire Prism is its Prism Cannon, a marvel of Eldar technology and understanding:[1] it uses a specially shaped crystal to contain a Warp energy field to create a pinpoint beam of darkness that can pierce even the toughest armours.[6a] This laser weapon has twice the range of the Pulse Laser or Scatter Laser, allowing it to hit targets just visible on the horizon. The crystal at the rear of the weapon has the ability to trap and focus the beam of other Fire Prisms such that they may combine with other Prism Cannons for increased firepower.[8] The Prism Cannon can also discharged a disperse beam capable of cutting down entire squads of enemy infantry, while sophisticated tracking arrays make the Fire Prism a potent threat to fast-moving aircraft.[1]
Twin-linked Shuriken Catapults located beneath the main cockpit can also be replaced with a single Shuriken Cannon, while the vehicle can be upgraded further with a Holo-field, Star Engines, Spirit Stones and Vectored Engines.[2][3] The Fire Prism also features a self-repair unit, allowing the grav tank to heal itself akin to a biological unit, when fully operational.[5]
The Fire Prism displays its targeting and guidance data on sophisticated displays both in the pilot's cockpit and in the gunner's turret. This data is collected by a scanning array consisting of multiple detection and triangulating matrices, located in various blisters all over the grav tank's hull.[5]
As with all Eldar vehicles the Fire Prism is constructed from Wraithbone and other psycho-plastics, a lightweight yet surprisingly strong material attuned to the Eldar's psychic mind. This not only allows the pilot and gunner to control the Fire Prism with both mind and body, but makes it impossible for other races to duplicate or operate the vehicle.[4] The grav tank's controls consist both of physical units as well as some kind of thought-impulse device.[5]
The Fire Prism has more than one aesthetic design as a result of differing consensus between Bonesinger Design Schools. Both have the same weapons and characteristics. An older era of design was previously known to Imperial Scholars as a Deathstalker, but the scholars have since reconciled their mistake and understand both as Fire Prisms.[3b]
Known Fire Prism Pilots
Images
Eldar Fire Prism (Older Editions)
Eldar Fire Prism (5th Edition)
3rd Edition Epic Scale Fire Prism
Development History
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The Fire Prism was one of several Eldar vehicles with more than one model and a different name between its inclusion in Epic and its inclusion in Warhammer 40,000. Design Schools were introduced in Epic: Swordwind (2005) as an in-universe explanation for this difference in Eldar vehicle designs in Epic, and Imperial Scholars were blamed for the incorrect nomenclature.
Forge World Warhammer 40,000-scale Deathstalker (Unreleased)[7]
Death Stalker[6a]
Sources
- 1: Codex: Eldar (3rd Edition), pg. 15
- 2: Codex: Eldar (4th Edition), pg. 43
- 3: Epic: Swordwind
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- 4: Imperial Armour Volume Eleven - The Doom of Mymeara, pgs. 175-179
- 5: White Dwarf 219 (UK), pg. 18 — Eldar Fire Prism Grav Tank
- 6: Renegades:
- 7: The Lost and the Banned - Deathstalker Prism Cannon Box (saved archive page, dated August 2007, last accessed 20 March 2025)
- 8: Doom of the Eldar (Game), pg. 21
- 9: Codex: Craftworlds (8th Edition), pg. 40
| Craftworld Eldar Vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Light Vehicles | Jetbike (Raptor Jetbike) • Hornet • Vyper |
| Walkers | War Walker • Wasp Assault Walker • Scout Walker |
| Wraith Constructs | Wraithblade • Wraithguard • Wraithknight • Wraithlord • Wraithseer |
| Artillery | Anti-Aircraft Platform • Support Weapon Batteries (D-Cannon • Vibro Cannon • Shadow Weaver) |
| Grav-Tanks | Falcon • Fire Prism • Firestorm • Night Spinner • Warp Hunter • Wave Serpent |
| Super-Heavy Grav-Tanks | Cobra • Lynx • Scorpion • Storm Serpent • Void Spinner |
| Super-Heavy Walkers | Eldar Knight • Eldar Titan (Revenant • Phantom • Warlock) |
| Aircraft | Hemlock • Nightwing • Nightshade (Crimson Hunter) • Phoenix • Vampire Raider • Vampire Hunter • Dawnsail • |
