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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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[[Category:Astra Militarum Artillery]]
[[Category:Space Marine Artillery]]
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[[Image:Basilisk.png|thumb|170px|right|An Imperial Guard Basilisk]]
The powerful shells [[shell]]s fired by the earthshaker cannon are capable of smashing apart the enemy lines with ease and are designed to cause catastrophic damage at the impact zone. Targets at the epicentre of such a detonation are immolated immediately, while those in the vicinity are pulverised by the deadly shock wave. The unmistakable shriek of the Basilisks’ incoming ordnance is rightly feared by the enemies of the Emperor.{{Fn|6}} Shells fired by the Basilisk are a metre long{{Fn|16}} and can create blast-zones many kilometres across.{{Fn|17}} The shells can blast a crater fifteen metres in diameter into the ground on impact.{{Fn|16}}
However the Basilisk has also proven its worth as an assault gun, using cannon's low angle of elevation to engage targets at short range in direct support of troops. The high explosive shells fired by the Basilisk are as devastating to infantry and tanks as they are to fortifications, however it is no replacement for a true [[Battle Tank]].{{Fn|2a}}{{Fn|3}} The lack of ablative armouring and exposed fighting position leaves the Basilisk highly exposed to enemy fire and hostile environments, although many patterns go some way towards correcting this by incorporating an Enclosed Crew Compartment.{{Fn|2a}}{{Fn|4}} Basilisks tasked for direct fire support will be detached from their parent company and placed under the temporary command of the tank or infantry company it is intended to support.{{Fn|3}} Basilisk's have been observed in a variety of roles, such as anti-aircraft.{{Fn|10}}
During the [[Great Crusade]] and [[Horus Heresy]], the Basilisk was also used by siege units of the [[Space Marine Legion]]s , alongside such vehicles as the [[Whirlwind]] and [[Medusa Siege Tank|Medusa]], though not nearly to the same extent as the [[Imperial Army]] given that static warfare did not fit the strengths and advantages of [[Space Marines]]. The legions would use them in protracted bombardments and defense defence against enemy armour.{{Fn|7}} The [[Iron Warriors]], in particular, were noted to have fielded many in their role as expert siegebreakers.{{Fn|8}} The [[Ultramarines]] are also known to have fielded Basilisks.{{Fn|9}} The Basilisks used by the [[Solar Auxilia]] were semi-automated and mounted on the environmentally-sealed chassis of the [[Leman Russ Battle Tank#Mars-Solar Pattern|Mars-Solar pattern Leman Russ]].{{Fn|21a}}
==Technical Information==
The Basilisk can also have a gunsight for the gunner that incorporates a range counter and multiple magnification levels.{{Fn|16}} The Basilisks Multi-burn engine,{{Fn|18b}} the Vulcanor pattern, type XVI twin coupled rotary bio-gas power engine,{{Fn|18a}} can run on gasoline, kerosene, alcohol, charcoal, vegetative matter and other fuel sources.{{Fn|18b}}
Basilisks also include a [[Searchlight]] and [[Smoke Launcher]]s as standard, while many crews will modify their vehicle with [[Camo Netting]], a [[Dozer Blade]], [[Extra Armour]], a [[Hunter-Killer Missile]] and/or a [[pintle-mounted]] [[Heavy Stubber]]/or [[Storm Bolter]].{{Fn|2b}}
{{Imperial Vehicles
==Usage by the Forces of Chaos==
The forces of [[Chaos]] have been observed fielding Basilisks.{{fnFn|24}} [[Chaos Space Marines]], such as the [[Iron Warriors]], are also known to make use of Basilisks - both as the [[Traitor Legions]] of the [[Horus Heresy]]{{Fn|8}} and later as the various [[Warband]]s of post heresy and beyond.{{fn|25}}
<gallery heights="250px" widths="250px" mode="nolines" caption="">
Fate's Death by Andrew Hepworth Horus Heresy Collected Visions pg125.jpg|'''Fate's Death''', traitor [[Imperial Army]] Basilisk during the [[Horus Heresy]].{{fn|24}}
==Sources==
*{{Endn|1}}: [[Codex: Imperial Guard (2nd Edition)]], pg. 30
*2: [[Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition)]]:
**{{Endn|2a}}: pgs. 52–53
**{{Endn|2b}}: pg. 103
*{{Endn|8}}: [[Warhammer: Visions 2]], pgs. 66-67 {{WHVisionsEnd}}
*{{Endn|9}}: [[Roboute Guilliman: Lord of Ultramar (Novel)]], Chapter Three
*{{Endn|10}}: [https://www.warhammer-community.com/2020/10/20/flight-plan-youre-grounded/ Warhammer Community: Flight Plan: You're Grounded (posted 20/10/20/2020)] ''(last accessed 10/20/October 2020)''
*{{Endn|11}}: [[Epic Armageddon]] Rulebook, pg. 43
*{{Endn|12}}: [https://web.archive.org/web/20240729020433/https://www.warhammer.com/en-US/plp?search=Legions%20Imperialis Games Workshop Legions Imperialis Gallery] ''(last accessed 28/7/2024) archived from [https://www.warhammer.com/en-US/plp?search=Legions%20Imperialisthe original], last accessed 28 July 2024)''
*13: [[Desert Raiders (Novel)]] — [[Hammer of the Emperor (Omnibus)]]:
**{{Endn|13a}}: Chapter Four, Part 3
*{{Endn|22}}: [[Fight or Flight (Short Story)]]
*{{Endn|23}}: [[White Dwarf 280 (UK)]] pg.70
*{{Endn|24}}: [[Horus Heresy: Collected Visions]] , pg.125*{{Endn|25}}: [[Games Day]] [https://youtu.be/QfgfuWKBD_8 2013 Conversion Entries] See - for more details see [[Looted Wagon/Sources]] for more details {{GDE}}*{{Endn|26}}: [[White Dwarf 295 (UK)]] , pg.92*{{Endn|27}}: [https://web.archive.org/web/20140420123935/http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/The_Horus_Heresy/Legiones_Astartes/Legion_Vehicles/LEGION_BASILISK.html Forge World Website - Legion Basilisk] ''(Archivedarchived)''*{{Endn|28}}: [[White Dwarf 242 (UK)]] , pg.27
{{WHVisions}}
{{Golden Demon}}
{{IGVehicles}}
[[Category:Astra Militarum Artillery]]
[[Category:Basilisks| ]]
[[Category:Space Marine Artillery]]
[[Category:Vehicles (Astra Militarum)]]
[[Category:Vehicles (Chaos)]]
[[Category:Vehicles (Space Marines)]]
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[[fr:Basilisk]]
