Glaive
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Glaive redirects here. For the escort vessel, see Glaive (Escort). |
The Glaive Super-Heavy Special Weapons Tank, or Fellglaive, was a tank pattern related to the Fellblade armed with a Volkite Carronade and designed to destroy whole ranks of enemy infantry, large xenos beasts, and lighter enemy vehicles.[7] It saw peak use during the Horus Heresy.[2]
Overview
History
The Glaive was one of several prototypes developed by the Mechanicum for the Fellblade project during the Great Crusade, but never was produced in large numbers due to its complexity and cost. Following the initial success of the Fellblade however, several Legions, including the Dark Angels, Iron Warriors, and Salamanders expressed interest in the variant.[7] Though all eighteen Legiones Astartes received limited quantities of Glaives, the Salamanders and Dark Angels were noted to operate them more regularly. Its rarity was because the Glaive was complicated to produce and staggeringly expensive.[1]
The Glaive first saw use against the Catachi Diabolum which had previously proved a thorn in the Great Crusade's side. Later they saw use against Orks and various other xenos monstrosities during the surrounding of the galactic core.[1] The Dark Angels were given specialized Fellglaives for use in the Dreadwing which were designed by the Emperor's greatest armourers. These vehicles were equipped with Vortex Weapons in place of its volkite carronade.[2]
In the subsequent Horus Heresy, the Glaive was used less selectively out of desperation by all sides and large numbers were lost at a result.[7]
Design
Based off the Fellblade chassis, the Glaive uses the same Metaplas armour. In early tests by the Salamanders, it was determined that the Fellblade's Demolisher Cannon was unnecessary for the role the Glaive was to fulfill, so it was removed in place of new key systems. The position of the gunner overseeing the sponson and prow weapons was relocated forwards within the hull, allowing a cupola above their position and enabling their own Power Armour helm autosenses to be utilized for target-acquisition. This in turn allowed for additional space inside the tank for emergency capacitators and additional cooling systems required for its primary weapon. The Fellblade's domed turret was maintained, with the ammution storage at the rear replaced with Volkite capacitors needed to build a charge for its weapon. One notable change to the turret however was the removal of the commander's and gunner's cupola hatches due to the dangerous radiation emitted from its weaponry. The gunner and commander were thus required to rely solely on external targeting cameras and scopes for target acquisition.[7]
The primary weapon of the Glaive and the device most of the tank has been built around is the fearsome Volkite Carronade. This device is said to originate on Mars during the Age of Strife. As the Mechanicum was fearsomely protective of Volkite technology, it was only through the direct intervention of the Emperor Himself that it was sanctioned for use on vehicles for use outside their own forces. The weapon can be charged up to unleash a continuous beam of deflagrating energy, allowing it to scythe through whole ranks of enemy troops. While the Carronade is fearsomely powerful, it is costly to produce and maintain.[7] Besides its primary weapon, it also could be equipped with sponson quad Lascannons, Laser Destroyers, or Heavy Bolters[7] as well as hull-mounted twin Heavy Bolters and a Hunter-Killer Missile.[1]
Images
Iron Hands Glaive miniature (2013)[4]
Plastic Glaive for the Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness[6]
Epic-scale Iron Warriors Glaive for Legions Imperialis[5]
See also
- Fellblade - a similar tank pattern equipped with an Accelerator Cannon
- Falchion - a similar tank pattern equipped with a Volcano Cannon
Sources
- 1: The Horus Heresy Book Two - Massacre, pg. 205
- 2: Angels of Caliban (Novel), Chapter 4
- 3: Horus Heresy: Age Of Darkness 2nd Edition Rulebook, pg. 19
- 4: Forge World Legion Glaive (last accessed 10 March 2015)
- 5: 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)
- 6: Warhammer Community: The New Year Preview – Tanks galore for the Legiones Astartes saved page, original link: https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/o0vvkblo/the-new-year-preview-tanks-galore-for-the-legiones-astartes/ (last accessed 16/1/2026)
- 7: Journal Tactica: Mailed Fist - Legiones Astartes Super-Heavy Tanks – pgs. 12-13
