Scorpion

This article is about the super-heavy skimmer; for the Warrior Aspect, see Striking Scorpion.

Eldar Portal

Scorpion^[5]

The Scorpion, known in previous editions as the Tempest, is an Eldar Engine of Vaul, a Super-Heavy Tank which combines the speed and grace of Eldar anti-grav technology with terrifying firepower.^[1]

The vehicle's namesake in Eldar mythology had a ranging sting attack to lash at enemies before they could get within range, and so too does the Scorpion. Scorpions are used to spearhead armoured assaults and as long-range fire support for raiding forces, where their devastating anti-tank firepower has earned them nicknames among the Imperial Guard like Grave-maker or Death's Sled.^[1][2][3a]

Technical Information

The Scorpion's primary armament are a pair of massive Pulsars mounted on a traversing turret,^[2] known as a Tempest Laser Cannon.^[6][7a] These fearsome weapons are a direct threat to Imperial Titans and can slice a Leman Russ Battle Tank in half with a single shot, but even during the most demanding of manoeuvres advanced sensory and targeting equipment ensures lethal accuracy.^[2][3a]

The Scorpion is incredibly manoeuvrable despite its size, flying at high speeds, jinking around enemy fire or popping up from cover for only a brief second to let lose a deadly shot. Among all the Engines of Vaul only the Scorpion poses the ability to move easily about a Craftworld without problem.^[2][3a]

The armour protecting a Scorpion is unnaturally resistant, capable of deflecting multiple Lascannon blasts.^[4] However its main defence besides speed and agility comes in the form of a Titan-grade Holo-field. This mysterious technology refracts the Scorpion's image in the visible spectrum and blinds scanners and other tracking equipment attempting to lock on to the craft. Secondary armament comes in the form of a Bright Lance, Eldar Missile Launcher, Scatter Laser, or Starcannon, while additional upgrades come in the form of Star Engines and Vectored Engines.^[2][3a]

The Scorpion 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 Tempest, but the scholars have since reconciled their mistake and understand both as Scorpions.^[3b]

Technical Information[2]
Length	18.43m
Height	6.8m
Wingspan	10.31m
Estimated Weight	70 tonnes
Barrel Length	10.31m
Armour	12-15mm material unknown
Combat Speed	60 kph
Estimated Max Speed	280 kph
Crew	1 driver, 1 gunner
Armament	Twin-Linked Pulsars, Bright Lance
Main Ammunition	Estimated 1000 shots. Unconfirmed.

Images

• 

  A Scorpion (2001)

• 

  An Ulthwé Scorpion (2004)

• 

  Epic Scale Scorpion

Development History

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

• The Scorpion was one of several Eldar vehicles with more than one model and a different name between its inclusion in Epic (where it was known as the Tempest) 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.

• 

  Warhammer 40,000-scale Tempest, released by Armorcast for Warhammer 40,000 (2nd Edition)^[8]

• 

  Epic (2nd Edition) Tempest^[7b]

• 

  Eldar Tempest^[7a]

Sources

• 1: Imperial Armour - Apocalypse, pg. 54
• 2: Imperial Armour II - Ork, Eldar and Dark Eldar Vehicles for Warhammer 40,000, pg. 14
• 3: Epic: Swordwind:
  • 3a: pg. 23
  • 3b: pg. 76
• 4: Path of the Seer (Novel) – Destiny
• 5: Imperial Armour Volume Eleven - The Doom of Mymeara, pg. 194
• 6: Doom of the Eldar (Game), pg. 21
• 7: Renegades:
  • 7a: pg. 14
  • 7b: pg. 35
• 8: Armorcast Warhammer 40,000 Model Archive (saved archive page, dated November 2001, last accessed 20 March 2025)