STEAM TANKS

The Steam Tank is a monstrous armoured creation,
belching smoke as it powers towards the enemy,
cannon-fire echoing from within its thick, steel hull. A
thick, armoured skin protects the whole Steam Tank
and the advance of this near unstoppable behemoth is
terrifying to behold, as arrows ricochet harmlessly off
its armoured sides and weapons barely scratch its
surface as it crushes its enemies beneath its armoured
bulk.
and to build new machines. However, the original
plans have been lost and, none of the Empire's fine
engineers have yet to reach Miragliano's fervid genius.
However, since Leonardo's disappearance, many of the
secrets of their construction have been lost, and the
surviving Steam Tanks are becoming increasingly
unreliable and inefficient. It is a rare day indeed when
all eight of these ponderous machines can be persuaded
to run at the same time.

The steam tank was designed by the genius Leonardo
de Miragliano, who was inspired by stories of the
steam-powered juggernauts made by the Dwarfs in
days of old. He wanted to create a sell-propelling
device which could crush the enemy and pour shot at
the same time. After years of research and painful
experimentation, he perfected the design for the first
steam tank, and the ways of war in the Empire were
changed forever. As weapons of war they proved to be
sluggish and generally unreliable but certainly very
noisy and impressive.
Sadly, of the twelve he built, only eight now remain,
and their loss is felt keenly. Two exploded while being
tested, one was destroyed fighting the Chaos Hordes in
the northern wastes, and a fourth sank without trace
while attempting to traverse a marsh during the battle
of La Tour in Bretonnia. The anniversary date of the
loss of a steam tank is a day of mourning within the
Imperial School of Engineering, a day when all the
engineers don a black armband and lament the tragic
loss of these mechanical wonders. The remaining eight
machines are polished and maintained with meticulous
care by the Imperial School of engineers who
constantly strive to improve on the design and make
The eight remaining Steam Tanks have all been
severely damaged at different points in time, but the
basic chassis of the Steam Tank is extremely
survivable. Whenever one of these machines is
destroyed in combat, all efforts are made to recover all
the broken fragments, and wherever possible, the
machine is meticulously rebuilt. Its engineers strive to
improve the design but, with the original plans of
Leonardo mysteriously lost, they have thus far been
unable to recreate a steam tank fully from scratch. No
two surviving examples are quite the same and they are
armed with a varied assortment of light gunpowder
weapons, steam driven repeater guns, and even torsion
powered weaponry. The remaining steam tanks are
treated with the highest level of mechanical attention.
The surviving machines are polished and maintained
by the Engineers School and occasionally receive a
fresh coat of paint or new decorative iron work. Over
the years the maintenance and repair of these machines
has been largely a matter of experimentation and luck.
Prudent Emperors put their faith in more conventional
arms, but the potential of the Steam Tanks ensures
these contraptions a place in the armies of the hopeful
and the desperate.

THE MAN BEHIND THE MACHINE

The infamous Steam Tank was invented by the inspired (some would say crazed) Leonardo de Miragliano. He was a brilliantly
talented man whose mind was never at rest. It is said that he was never without his sketchbook, and he was ever scribbling his mad
ideas and inventions within its leather-bound pages. The Steam Tank was his highest recognised achievement, an inspired design
that has never since been recreated. Leonardo was a remarkable pioneer in the area of technological advancement, and it was he that
founded the Imperial Engineering School in Altdorf, and was its first Chief Engineer. Talented, forward thinking young men
flocked from miles around to sit in awe through Leonardo's famed lectures. Many saw his work as frivolous and even dangerous,
but it was quickly realised that his inventions could be harnessed to benefit the Empire, strengthening its armies, and thus his
talents were encouraged.

It is said that Leonardo was astounded and fascinated when he witnessed one of the creations of the Dwarfs, an ocean going steam
vessel made of solid metal. He filled countless sketchbooks with intricate drawings and writings that revolved around the arcane
machine, and his thoughts on how he could recreate such a wonder. His early attempts were disastrous affairs. On his second
attempted launch of the aptly named steam-powered boat Anchor of Solidity, he barely escaped with his life as it sank beneath the
sea within minutes, steam hissing and spitting violently. The half-drowned Leonardo lost none his ambition or passion, however,
though he transferred his ideas onto land. Thus the Steam Tank was born, for he took the basic designs for his ironclad steamship
and modified them to make his famed steam powered land-ship.

Although it has been attempted countless times, no engineer has thus far succeeded in recreating a Steam Tank from scratch.
Leonardo mysteriously disappeared, his work left unfinished, and his sketches and designs lost with him. 'Original' designs surface
from time to time, although these are usually proved to be fakes. Rumours abound over the fate of the brilliant inventor, many
obviously false, often ludicrously so. Some say that he at last created a successful design for a submersible travelling vessel and that
he disappeared below the sea, intent on exploring lost underwater realms. Other more realistic views say that he was killed for
political reasons, either by an enemy of the Empire or by one of his many conservative protractors within the Empire, who
denounced him constantly and feared the change that his inventions heralded.

1

The whole vehicle is enclosed by a mixtures of steel
plates and roof tiles, making it almost immune to
missile fire from bows and crossbows. Even a direct hit
from a cannon or stone thrower won't always destroy
the steam tank, although this is the easiest way of
knocking one out. The Engineers School have so far
managed to recover and rebuild machines which have
been destroyed in battle.
The Steam Tank is powered by a large pressurised
boiler that siphons superheated steam through a series
of pipes and pistons. With an intricate system of levers,
the engineer commander directs this steam towards the
area where he needs the power, drawing it away from
other areas. For instance, he can direct the steam
towards the pistons that drive the wheel mechanisms
and send the tank forwards, hissing and whistling.
Alternatively he can feed the steam towards the tank's
steam powered weapons systems. However, there is a
limited amount of steam power for the commander to
work with, for he must be careful not to build too much
pressure within the boiler, and so must be economical
with its use. It is a delicate, if somewhat unpredictable,
art to judge how much pressure the Steam Tank's boiler
can hold. The more pressure that builds, the faster the
land-ship can travel, and the more options the engineer
has at his disposal. If too much pressure builds, the
Engineer runs the risk of rupturing the boiler, an event
that typically entails a catastrophic effect. In several
battles, a Steam Tank has suddenly exploded because
of a fatal overpressure, destroyed in a cloud of super-
heated vapour and spinning iron shards.
The first Steam Tanks was not built with any
instruments for determining the pressure in the boiler.
Instead, the engineer had to gauge how much pressure
had built within the boiler by the intensity of the
whistling sounds and the amount of hissing sounds of
steam that escaped from imperfectly sealed piping
around the boiler, and the clouds of vapour that
accumulated around him. The twelve original Steam
Tanks suffered frequent mishaps and malfunctions, and
the great inventor himself was almost always seen
sporting bandages covering various scalds and bums.
In recent times, the Imperial Engineers of Altdorf have
devised a series of gauges and whistles that show the
pressure within the boiler, although they are still
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somewhat inaccurate, and much relies on the
experience and instinct of the individual engineer
commander.
The Masters of the Imperial School of Engineers
constantly design new experimental weapons systems
with which to outfit the remaining Steam Tanks, many
of which are never put into practice, often wisely. Each
time a Steam Tank is rebuilt, the engineers seek to
improve on the original design, fitting it with new
experimental weaponry and refining the control of the
boiler.
Young Engineers are reluctant to volunteer as Steam
Tank crew, as the boilers are renowned for bursting
apart, turning the tank into a giant pressure cooker and
boiling those inside alive. The Steam Tank is also very
uncomfortable to ride in and whenever the main
cannon is fired, the noise rebounds deafeningly inside,
shaking the machine and churning the stomachs and
brains of the crew. As a result, most Engineer
Commanders prefer to lean out of the Steam Tank's top
hatch where they can partially escape the cramped
confines. This vantage point also provides the
commander with a superior view of the battlefield, and
many take the opportunity to bolt on a rifle or draw a
pistol for a little target practice of their own.
All engineers dream of working on one of the steam
tanks, and most of them keep a file of their designs,
sketches, plans and ideas for variations and
improvements that they hope one day to make a reality.
It is the greatest honour amongst the School to be
allowed to work on one of the steam tanks, an accolade
that is reserved for the most adept and experienced of
master engineers. The majority of variant design focus
on the military aspect of the steam tanks, their creators
inspired to create the most bizarre and potent weapons
of destruction possible, often to the detriment of their
own health.
Note: A Steam Tank may be included as a Rare choice
in an Empire army.
M WS BS S T W I A Ld
Steam Tank - - - 6 6 10 - - -
Engineer Commander - 3 3 3 - - 3 1 7
TROOP TYPE: Chariot (Armour save 1+)
SPECIAL RULES: Large Target, Random
Movement (variable), Terror, Unbreakable.
Steel Behemoth: A Steam Tank, and its crew, can
shoot missile weapons with the Move or Fire special
rule even if it moved in its Movement phase. In
addition, a Steam Tank cannot overrun or pursue a
fleeing enemy – it automatically restrains and is unable
to perform combat reforms.
Steam Points: At the start of your turn, declare how
many Steam Points your Steam Tank is generating –
this can be any number between 0 and 5. After you
have generated your Steam Points (if any), roll an
artillery dice to see if the Steam Tank's boiler holds
out. If the result is greater than the Steam Tank's
current number of Wounds, or if you roll a misfire, roll
a D3 and then, for each Steam Point the Steam Tank
currently has, add 1 to the result and consult the Steam
Boiler Mishap table.
You can expend Steam Points in three ways: through
the Steam Engine, or Steam Weapons. You can expend
up to 3 Steam Points in each of these categories, as
long as you have enough Steam Points remaining. Any
Steam Points left unused at the end of your turn are
lost.
STEAM BOILER MISHAP TABLE
1-4 Valve Locked: Roll a D6. On a 1-2, you
cannot expend Steam Points in the Steam
Engine this turn. On a 3-4, you cannot expend
Steam Points in the Steam Gun this turn. On a
5-6, you cannot expend Steam Points in the
Steam Cannon this turn.
5 Minor Leak: The Steam Tank immediately
loses D3 Steam Points.
6 Emergency Vent: The Steam Tank
immediately loses D6 Steam Points. The
Steam Tank, and any unit in base contact,
immediately suffers 2D6, Strength 2 hits,
distributed as from shooting (roll for each
unit).
7 Dangerous Overpressure: Roll a D6. The
Steam Tank immediately gains a number of
Steam Points and loses a number of Wounds
equal to the result.
8 Kaboom: All units within 6" of the Steam
Tank (Friend or foe) immediately suffer 2D6
Strength 4 hits, distributed as from shooting
(roll for each unit). After resolving any
damage, the Steam Tank is removed as a
casualty.
Steam Engine: The more Steam Points you expend in
the Steam Engine, the further the Steam Tank moves in
the Movement phase. Declare how many Steam Points
you will expend in the Steam Engine at the start of
your Compulsory Moves sub-phase. If you choose not
to expend any Steam Points in the Steam Engine, the
Steam Tank's Movement will be 0 that turn and it
cannot move at all. For each Steam Point you chose to
expend, the Steam Tank's Random Movement
increases by D6".
If the Steam Tank charges an enemy unit, it will inflict
an additional D3 Impact Hits for each Steam Point
expended in the Steam Engine that turn.
If the Steam Tank starts its Movement phase in base
contact with an enemy unit, it cannot move, but can
instead expend Steam Points in the Steam Engine to
grind foes beneath its wheels. Select one enemy unit in
base contact – it immediately suffers D3 Strength 6 hits
for each steam point expended in this way, distributed
as from shooting.
Steam Gun: The more Steam Points you expend in the
Steam Gun, the higher the pressure of the resultant
gout of steam. If the Steam Tank is unengaged, declare
how many Steam Points you will expend in the Steam
Gun at the start of your Shooting phase. If the Steam
Tank is engaged in close combat, declare how many
Steam Points you will expend in the Steam Gun at the
start of your Close Combat phase. In either case, if you
choose not to expend any Steam Points in the Steam
Gun, you cannot fire it that turn.
If only a single Steam Point is expended, the Steam
Gun is treated as a Strength 2 Breath Weapon, which
uses the Engineer Commander's Initiative. The
Strength of the Breath Weapon is increased by 1 for
each additional Steam Point expended in the Steam
Gun. (For example, if 3 Steam Points are expended, the
Steam Gun is treated as a Strength 4 Breath Weapon.)
The Steam Gun has a 360 degree arc of fire. Unlike
other Breath Weapons, the Steam Gun can be used
once each turn.
CONQUEROR
The most common weapons fitting for the Steam Tank
is the unusual steam powered battle-cannon, which was
fitted on one of the early machines, the Conqueror.
This large and impressive cannon has a breech fed with
pressurised steam from the boiler. It is by necessity
smaller than the standard great cannons often fielded
by armies of the Empire, although its manoeuvrability
and survivability make up for this. Pressurised steam is
less potent than gunpowder and so the cannon has a
shorter range than muzzle-loaded cannons but
otherwise it works in the same way. It is of course
impossible to use a conventional cannon inside the
Steam Tank due to the muzzle being outside the tank,
and also due to the inevitable risk of explosion. This
was the closest design to Leonardo's original plan,
although an additional turret-mounted steam gun has
become almost standard. This innovative weapon
bleeds off steam from the boiler and releases it in an
explosive outburst, dousing enemies in close proximity
with superheated steam and vapour.
POINTS: 250 points.
SPECIAL RULES: Steam Gun.
Steam Cannon: A Steam Cannon is a cannon, but
instead of gunpowder, it is fired by pressurised steam.
The more Steam Points that are expended in the Steam
Cannon, the greater its maximum range will be. If you
choose not to expend any Steam Points in the Steam
Cannon, or if the Steam Tank is in base contact with an
enemy unit, you cannot fire it that turn.
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 If you expend a single Steam Point, the Steam Cannon
can fire with a maximum range of 12". For each
additional Steam Point you expend, the maximum
range of the Steam Cannon is increased by 12". The
Steam Cannon can only be fired directly ahead. The
Steam Cannon is a Cannon with the following profile:
Range: Strength: Special Rules:
12"/24"/36" 10 Multiple Wounds (D6)
If the first artillery dice rolls a misfire, the Steam
Cannon does not fire and the Steam Tank immediately
loses D3 Wounds with no armour saves allowed. The
Steam Cannon cannot fire grapeshot.
OLD RELIABLE
The Steam Tank known as Old Reliable incorporates a
modified steam powered version of the highly
successful but notoriously unpredictable Helblaster
volley gun, replacing the standard steam powered
battle-cannon. This has proved to be devastating, often
as much to the engineer himself as to the enemy, and is
particularly effective against well armoured enemies.
Some of the older members of the School of
Engineering oppose mounting the steam-powered
volley gun on a Steam Tank, for they see it as too great
a risk. However, these fears are generally outweighed,
for the destructive potential of the weapon is
formidable. As with Helblasters generally, the steam-
powered versions have proven themselves to be highly
unstable and unpredictable, but terribly effective when
they work as desired. A manoeuvrable and superbly
armoured volley gun is truly a deadly piece of
equipment.
POINTS: 225 points.
SPECIAL RULES: Steam Gun.
Steam-powered Volley Gun: If you expend a single
Steam Point, the Volley Gun can fire using the
following profile and rules:
Range: Strength: Special Rules:
24" 5 Armour Piercing (1),
Multiple Shots (*)
*The number of shots is equal to the roll of an Artillery
dice. The Volley gun does not suffer To Hit penalties
for firing Multiple Shots. If you roll a misfire, the
Steam-powered Volley Gun does not fire and the
Steam Tank immediately loses D3 Wounds with no
armour saves allowed.
IMPLACABLE
Other Steam Tank innovations have included the
Implacable, a Steam Tank mounting an explosive shell-
lobbing mortar. As a mobile and highly survivable
artillery piece, the Implacable has proved successful
and reliable. The pair of Engineer gunners that have
worked on the Implacable since it was modified to hold
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the mortar have become particularly adept at aiming
the war machine while on the move. The Implacable
has become particularly feared by the Orc tribes of the
Black Mountains, who regard it as some kind of
immortal deity of the Empire.
POINTS: 250 points.
SPECIAL RULES:
Mortar Shells: The Mortar on the Implaceable follows
all the rules for normal Mortars (see Warhammer:
Empire). If the first artillery dice rolls a misfire, the
Mortar does not fire and the Steam Tank immediately
loses D3 Wounds with no armour saves allowed.
SIGMAR'S HAMMER
Another of the weapon variations is the Sigmar's
Hammer, a Steam Tank that has had all weapons
stripped from its hull, and has had its prow reinforced
for ramming. This was at first a necessary innovation.
The Steam Tank was involved in an ongoing conflict to
the north of the Empire, where ammunition was short,
and so the weapons were temporarily removed from its
hull. The design proved highly effective, powering
across the ice covered tundra and scattering raiding
Marauders. This simple design worked so well in this
northern campaign that the Engineers responsible for
stripping the Sigmar's Hammer did not re-fit its
weapons systems upon its return to the Empire.
POINTS: 225 points.
SPECIAL RULES:
Ram Attack: When charging or using its grinding
attack, the Sigmar's Hammer inflicts D6 hits per Steam
point spent rather than D3.
VON ZEPPEL
The most unusual design variation comes in the form
of the Steam Tank known as the Von Zeppel, named
after its famed creator. This land-ship mounts a raised
fighting platform on its hull, from where a fighting
crew of young engineers can be conveyed into battle
wielding a myriad array of experimental weaponry,
including modified versions of repeater handguns and
the renowned Hochland long rifle. Chief Engineer von
Zeppel pioneered this creation, designing its
predecessor, the War Wagon, by hauling a raised
fighting platform into battle, pulled by armoured war-
horses. It was a natural progression for von Zeppel to
adapt his original design to be mounted atop the Steam
Tank.
POINTS: 250 points.
SPECIAL RULES: Steam Cannon.
Fighting Platform: The fighting platform has six
Engineer Commanders crewing it, who follow the
Mixed Weaponry special rule from the War Wagon
(see Warhammer: Empire).
THE BATTLE OF KRIEGFELD
CASTLE
In the year 2512, a massive horde of savage warriors
from the north surged down through Kislev,
massacring entire villages and looting townships.
Striking without warning, the tattooed marauders
rampaged southwards, accompanied by an array of
brutish, beast-like creatures that were bent only on
bloodshed and feasting on the bodies of the fallen. The
raiders rode into Ostland, cutting a bloody swathe
across the land.
As it remains today, the province of Ostland was a
wild, rural land. Its inhabitants are tough and hardy
people who are capable of defending then lands from
raiders. However, this horde was far larger than any
usual raid, and the people of Ostland were cut down
murderously before it.
However, the noble Kriegfeld family were renowned
for their determination and fierceness, and would
frequently ride forth from their castle to aid their
countrymen and hunt down any marauding raiders. The
eldest son of Lord Kriegfeld rode from the towering
castle of the family with the mainstay of the house
guard to fight the marauders, for the Elector Count of
Ostland's armies were several days march distant A
group of the marauders detached themselves from the
main war party, leading the defending army towards
the north, never committing themselves to a pitched
battle. They frustrated the young Lord, stalking fast
before withdrawing, and leading his forces far away
from the castle. While these forces were occupied, the
main Chaos army struck toss ards the mighty Knegfeld
castle, situated to the north-east of Bechefen.
The forces of Chaos laid siege to the castle, attacking it
in the depths of night. The moon and stars were
obscured by dark sorcery, and black-winged creatures
descended from the skies, pulling the sentries from the
battlements to their deaths on the sharp rocks below.
The Battle of Kriegfeld had begun, a battle that would
be recalled for years to come for both its tragedy and
heroism.
The castle guard was sorely depleted and Lord
Kriegfeld and his family, even his Lady and eldest
daughter, fought alongside the soldiers on the
battlements to stem the evil tide that threatened to
engulf them. The night was filled with the incoherent
screaming of the savage marauders as they clambered
up hundreds of hurled grappling hooks, and huge,
furred creatures battered at the gates. The besieged
defenders fought frantically for hours on end, the
frenzied mass of raiders throwing themselves at the
walls without fear for their own lives, their souls
already promised to dire powers. Dawn provided no
5
 respite, for the marauders did not appear to be tiring.
Barely able to remain on their feet, the exhausted
defenders smuggled on, their numbers falling one by
one.
Their only hope remained in the famed steam tank, Old
Reliable, which had been seriously damaged several
weeks earlier. The steel land-ship had been towed to
Kriegfeld castle, and Meinkop, the Old Reliable's
engineer commander was awaiting an envoy from the
School of Engineering to come to the castle to tow the
massive land-ship back to Altdorf. As the castle was
besieged and the cries of dying filled the hellish
darkness, the engineer worked frantically on the steam
tank, attempting to get the machine in some form of
working order. Using the ends and forge of the castle
blacksmith, who fought valiantly on the walls above,
the engineer attempted to patch up the damaged boiler.
Using all manner of improvised implements, Engineer
Meinkop displayed his considerable skill and
innovation by managing to get the steam tank running,
albeit in a rather ramshackle fashion. Great rotating
belts were repaired using sturdy canvas strips, and
damaged cogs replaced with roughly forged metal
gears.
After hours of relentless pounding, the monstrous
creatures outside finally splintered the gates of the
castle, and the screaming hordes of blood-smeared
marauders swept through the breach alongside
bellowing beast-like figures, their thick fur stained with
blood. Awaiting them was only a minimal defensive
force and the Old Reliable, patched up and roughly
repaired by Engineer Meinkop. Lacking suitable
ammunition for the steam powered volley gun, the
engineer had loaded all manner of debris into the
barrels, firing a spray of deadly nails and stones into
the surging hordes, cutting them down in droves. The
fallen were trampled by their kindred, who were utterly
consumed in their frenzy to slaughter all before them.
The steam cannon on the Old Reliable ruptured soon
after battle was joined, hissing steam filling the
compact interior of the steam tank. Meinkop quickly
patched the rupture using a hastily applied bandage of
canvas and tar.
With a tremendous blast of steam, the Old Reliable
thundered into the marauders surging through the
breached gates, crushing their bodies beneath its bulk,
and slamming them into the stone walls. The savage
warriors clambered over the steam tank, smashing at its
damaged armour with their brutal weapons. Belching
steam, the Old Reliable quickly reversed its position,
sending those clambering over it flying to the ground,
before powering once more into the breach. The stone
gateway was awash with blood, countless bodies
having been crushed into the unrelenting stone and
smashed into the walls. Engineer Memkop worked
frantically to keep the steam tank operational, breaches
appearing in the boiler that would result in complete
loss of pressure, and a myriad of operational failings
threatening to bring the Old Reliable to a standstill.
6
For the entire day, the Old Reliable managed to hold
the castle gates. In brief respites, while the enemy was
regrouping, the engineer reloaded the steam cannon
with debris, ready for the next wave of attack. As night
drew near, the marauders stepped up their assault,
flinging themselves with ever increasing frenzy against
the steam tank and the walls, but to no avail. As the
chaos followers retreated after one particularly vicious
assault, the Old Reliable, barely intact, powered out of
the gates Meinkop determined to sell his life dearly, for
he knew that he could not keep the machine operational
for long. The steam tank smashed through the
bloodthirsty savages, scattering them before its bulk. A
group of hideously malformed beasts attacked the Old
Reliable, almost tipping it onto its side, and began to
tear it apart with their clawed limbs. Still defiant, the
engineer swung the immense machine around, its
armoured prow brutally crushing everything it
impacted with.
VON MEINKOP
Engineer Commander von Meinkop is a grizzled and famed
steam tank commander He is the most experienced
operator of the steam tank, having fought in countless
campaigns and battles, and he has even been awarded the
prestigious Medal of Outstanding Martial Service by the
Emperor Karl Franz himself. He pilots the steam tank Old
Reliable, which he himself has extensively rebuilt over the
years. A highly respected Master Engineer amongst his
peers, he is said to be the man who best understands
Leonardo de Miragliano's original design, and is a great
source of information for the other engineers, if a
somewhat an unapproachable one.
Old Reliable currently mounts a Helblaster volley gun
specially designed by von Meinkop himself. Despite his
unparalleled skill and control in regulating the pressure
within the steam tank's boiler, the Engineer Commander
has suffered innumerable wounds from his steam tank's
various malfunctions and mishaps. However, he always
survives these often dramatic detonations, and sports an
impressive array of scars and lupines, which he wears as
proudly as his battle honours. Among these is an ugly burn
down the left side of his face, the result of a ruptured
boiler that also took his eye. He walks with a distinct limp
from when a pipe burst and broke free within the steam
tank's interior and plunged through his leg. His hands and
arms are covered in burns, and scarring. He is held in awe
amongst the younger engineers, a gnarled and tough figure
of great experience.
Von Meinkop recently travelled to Albion with Old
Reliable, where he has been aiding the forces of Ludenhof,
the Elector Count of Hochland. Soon after arriving on the
mist-enshrouded isle, the steam tank became bogged in the
flats of Muddy Point, and there was some doubt as to
whether or not the colossal land-ship would be able to be
rescued. However, with the aid of the magical powers of
the Truthsayers. Old Reliable was pulled from the mud,
and has proved to be a devastatingly powerful and integral
part of Ludenhof's army. The presence of such a powerful
war machine takes his foes by surprise, and it is this
surprise, along with von Meinkop's skill and fearlessness,
that has continued to win Ludenhof considerable acclaim
on the famed isle as the Empire forces push northwards.
Kriegfeld castle was saved from certain destruction by
the heroic action of Engineer Commander Meinkop,
who was subsequently awarded with a minor title and
the deeds to a small estate on the outskirts of Altdorf
As the forces of Chaos surrounded the crippled steam
tank, Lord Kriegfeld's son returned from the north, his
attack into the rear of the marauding army causing a
wave of panic to run through their undisciplined ranks.
The raiders scattered, fleeing back towards their
homeland, and wet e subsequently pursued and hunted
down. The castle defenders were exhausted, only a
handful remaining and many of them suffering
debilitating wounds. Tragically, Lady Kriegfeld, who
had battled at the fore of the castles defence, was
ripped from the battlements by a leathery winged
creature as the forces of Chaos fled, a last, spiteful act
of destruction that eventually tore the family apart. The
noble Lord fell into a deep despair from which he
never recovered, dying a bitter, lonely man. It is said
that his spirit haunts the family castle, endlessly
lamenting the loss of his good lady and cursing the
gods for their fickle ways. The castle was eventually
abandoned and is said to be cursed. It stands dark and
menacing over the landscape, an empty, broken shell
that is shunned by all.
THE SLAYING OF DAVARGOS THE
TAINTED
The foul Strigoi Vampire, Davargos the Tainted, was
finally defeated in bitter combat at the Battle of
Dalvern Hill. The Vampire had terrorised the south-
east of the Empire for nearly three centuries, slaying
almost at will. The battleground was the last stand of
the pious Duke Bachenhoff the Third, a rural noble
who held the titles to many lands around the Lower
Talabec River. Dalvern Hill was situated in the dismal
lands to the very south of the Empire, an area formerly
known as the realm of Solland. It was here that the
duke and his personal guard were slaughtered almost to
a man, complete annihilation of the Empire forces only
barely avoided thanks to the presence of the steam tank
Deliverance.
The duke was a highly devout man, viewed by his
noble compatriots as somewhat of a religious fanatic.
Rumours were rife through the nobility of the duke's
self-flagellation, and indeed he could often be seen
sporting all manner of unusual wounds. It is said that
he believed that he was destined to stamp out the taint
of undeath that had cursed the lands of Sylvania for
ages untold. This single-minded determination was
utilised by the smoothly manipulative and much feared
witch hunter, Macarbiond. The witch hunter's influence
was great and, together with the wealth of the Duke,
the pair built a powerful army with which to scour the
lands of fell vampiric creatures.
7
 The Duke's fervour was constantly fuelled by the
rousing words of Macarbiond, and they attracted a
great mass of disturbed, fanatical followers who
dedicated themselves fully to the cause. The engineers
of Altdorf, seeking to gain the favour of the church of
Sigmar, sent the powerful steam tank Deliverance toaid
the holy cause. The enormous iron construction was a
great source of amazement to the simple people of
these lands, many of whom had never travelled so far
as their neighbouring village. The large force moved
through the lands of Sylvania, but never encountered
anything more sinister than superstitious, inbred
peasants. When the rumours started to flow in about a
devilish creature of the night that had been massacring
villagers to the south, the army were overcome with
righteous fury to destroy it, and their pursuit of the
creature commenced.
For days on end the duke and the witch hunter tracked
the creature, which fled to the south. It has since been
speculated that the creature was consciously leading
the duke's army into an area it favoured, for it appeared
relatively unconcerned by its pursuers. The nights were
filled with unholy howling, and bats filled the darkened
sky, obscuring the stars and moon with fluttering black
BARON VON HELSING
The eccentric Baron von Helsing of Wurtbad is a
wealthy noble, cousin to the Elector Count of Stirland.
Fascinated from a young age by all forms of technology
and science, von Helsing was in awe of the marvels that
the Imperial School of Engineering in Altdorf had
developed.
When the school was running low on funds several years
later, von Helsing approached them, offering them a
significant portion of his extensive wealth in exchange
for lust one steam tank. Although at first reluctant to
part with such a precious piece of scientific equipment,
the need for a wealthy patron overrode this reluctance
and he was given the steam tank Unrepentant
Under his own specifications, von Helsing has had
much work done to his steam tank, including countless
improvements to the engine itself He has had
improvements made to increase the boiler capacity, had
a full leather interior fitted and has experimented with
countless weapons systems Some of his more unusual
and experimental weaponry has included a dual mounted
Helblaster volley gun system, which resulted in the loss
of his left leg, and the current arrangement, a specially
designed rapid firing weapon, Helbrecht's exalted-
velocity fusillade of ultra-rotary unleashment.
This is a large weapon that includes a circular mount
holding no less than 24 modified handguns in a series of
concentric circles Once each is loaded individually, a
crank is rapidly turned and the wheel spins As the
weapon rotates, each handgun passes a firing mechanism,
emptying the entire payload of ammunition within a
matter of seconds Unfortunately it is a very time-
consuming weapon to reload, although von Helsing has
commissioned the Engineering School to research a
method of fast loading.
8
wings. Without fear, the foul Vampire creature sated its
thirst each night by draining the blood of the sentries
guarding the army's camp perimeter, though the
creature was never actually seen.
After several weeks of pursuit, the army of Duke
Bachenhoff and Macarbiond the witch hunter was
ambushed in the dead of night. The rotting corpses of
hellish, black wolves raced into the camp, their howls
tilting the darkness. Great clouds of bats descended
from the blackened sky and streams of foul, ghoulish
figures loped into the campsite, their pallid forms
grotesque and malformed. Despite their fanatical
resistance, the Empire forces were torn apart in the
confusion of the frantic battle. The engineer
commander of the Deliverance, who slept within the
comforting confines of the great landship, brought the
boiler quickly to full power. The resulting havoc
created by the behemoth's steam gun caused the Ghouls
to scatter into the darkness, terrified by what they saw
as an unstoppable iron creature that breathed death
itself.
As the sun's rays shone over the horizon, the full extent
of the casualties suffered were made evident. Fully
three-quarters of the Empire force had been massacred,
and the Baron knew that the Undead would attack
again the following night.
He set up a defensive formation on the nearby Dalvern
Hill, which commanded a prominent view over the
bleak landscape. As the sun slipped inevitably over the
horizon, the skies were quickly filled with fluttering
shapes. Beating themselves with whips, the fanatical
followers of the witch hunter screamed of the end of
the world, and the need to strike this evil presence from
the face of the Old World before that time comes.
The forces of the Undead struck with full force,
shambling relentlessly towards the waiting Empire
army. Their numbers seemed unending, and their
stinking corpses soon littered the muddy ground. Still
more pressed forwards, clambering on the fallen to
strike out at the humans with blackened claws and
foetid teeth. The steam tank Deliverance fired its
powerful steam cannon into the masses of Undead,
cutting the foul creatures down in great swathes. The
Ghouls fell back from the powerful steam tank in fear,
while rotting, black wolves scratched ineffectually at
its metal sides. The Deliverance formed an immovable
centre for the Empire lines, while the rest of the army
was falling beneath the overwhelming numbers of the
Undead.
The Baron stood with his personal guard at the top of
the hill as the Undead began to overrun the defences. A
winged form dropped from the darkness above, its
powerfully muscled body misshapen, its vicious face
contorted into a visage of pure hatred. With an
explosive leap, the Vampire known as Davargos hurled
itself at the duke, who screamed for Sigmar to strike
this foulness from existence. The duke's bodyguard
hurled themselves in the path of the creature, and they
were torn limb from limb with shocking brutality. The
Strigoi struck left and right as it waded through the
crowd, its body streaked with blood and gore, as it bore
down on the duke. None, it seemed, could stand before
the unstoppable creature's unholy fury. The crazed
duke welcomed facing the foul creature, completely
believing that right was on his side, and that through
this he would prevail alone.
As the duke's head was brutally severed with a flick of
the Strigoi's powerful claws, the Deliverance bore
down on the foul Vampire. Too late the foul creature
realised its peril and tried to launch itself into the air.
As it leapt from the ground it was struck by the steel
prow of the steam tank, and sent flying backwards,
bones broken under the horrendous impact that would
have crippled any mortal being. With a snarl, the
creature quickly recovered and leapt onto the front of
the moving steam tank, ripping at the great metal
plates. With preternatural strength, the Strigoi tore
great gouges in the armour, its claws wrenching the
metal out of shape in its fury to get within the war
machine.
Calmly, the engineer commander emerged from the
hatch atop the Deliverance, the Strigoi's hate-filled
eyes locking to his own. Raising his custom-built
repeater pistol, the engineer unleashed a volley of shot
into the Vampire, sending it rolling off the steam tank.
The Deliverance powered forwards, grinding the
struggling Vampire beneath its enormous bulk, ending
its unholy life after hundreds of years of terror. Where
no mortal had been able to threaten the creature's
twisted unlife, the sheer power of the steam tank had
destroyed it utterly.
With the Vampire slain, its Undead minions skulked
away into the darkness, pursued by the frenzied
Flagellants. Untold hundreds of mutilated corpses were
scattered over the hill. Nearly four decades later, bone
and armour can still be found on the grassy slopes of
Dalvern Hill. Only a fraction of the soldiers of the
Empire managed to survive the vicious battle, and
many of those quickly descended into madness. The
body of the Vampire was strung up on the prow of the
steam tank, a bloody trophy of its victory. As the first
rays of dawn lanced over the plain, the body began to
smoke, eventually crumbling to charred dust. The
Battle of Dalvern Hill had been won and the Vampire
Davargos finally slain.
9
 CHAPTER XXIV
A Concise History of the illustrious mechanical wonder, the
Steam Tank Deliverance
(Includes documentation of improvements and
customisation. For technical information see sub-section
XVII.)
As scribed by Engineer-Journeyman Marcus Freidscof
The steam tank Deliverance was handcrafted by the
creative genius Leonardo de Miragliano in the year
2035. The famous inventor, said by many to be mad
and deranged, entered the Emperor's service some
twenty-two years earlier, conducting studies into
mechanical locomotion and acceleration The
Deliverance was fitted with a prototype steam-powered
cannon, which proved notoriously unpredictable and
prone to unexpected detonation, though was
particularly powerful when it worked.
With much expectation, the Deliverance was first
tested in a combat situation at the battle of Kalmur Hill,
situated just south of Nuln in Averland, against a foul
tribe of marauding Orcs. The Deliverance
malfunctioned in spectacular fashion, billowing clouds
of steam erupting horn its ruptured boiler. The Orcs
were nevertheless defeated, and the steam rank was
towed back to Altdorf for repairs.
Over the next twenty years, the control and regulation
of the boiler system within the steam tanks were
refined by Leonardo, who worked incessantly towards
improving his potent yet still unpredictable creations.
The Deliverance proved exceptional in a battle to the
north of the Empire against a warparty of savages from
the Northern Wastes, although its weapons system was
again unreliable. Its steam cannon misfired, but the
scalded Engineer Commander, Heinrich Woolendurst,
a favoured student of Leonardo's, used the steam tank
as a battering ram against the enemy formations to
considerable effect. (This tactic was re-enacted with
great success against raiding marauders in recent times
the commander of steam tank Sigmar's Hammer, see
Chapter MXIV).
With the disappearance of Leonardo and the
subsequent loss of his detailed steam tank designs, the
twelve steam tanks he created were looked upon as
precious scientific models requiring further research.
To our great chagrin, the secret of the steam tanks'
creation remains elusively just out of reach. The
Deliverance was returned to the Imperial School of
Engineering in Altdorf for continued study, the master
engineers deeming it too important to be lost in battle.
Already, two of Leonardo's creations had been lost or
10
FEINKOPF
Engineer Commander Feinkopf is an ageing member of
the School of Engineering who has taken various steam
tanks onto the field of battle countless times, facing all
manner of vile and horrifying foes. This constant
warfare has pushed his mind to the brink of its sanity,
and Feinkopf lives in a state of paranoia, phantoms
parading through his mind in an endless, horrifying
stream. His cries can be heard in the night as he screams
of the daemons tormenting him, although his body has
been ritually purified by the Order of the Sigmarites,
and he has been proclaimed untainted by the corrupting
touch of Chaos. In his delusions, he cries out,
proclaiming he has seen the twin-tailed comet screaming
across the skies. He raves that he is witnessing the end
of times, a dark period of endless war, fire and the
destruction of the known world. Even in his moments
of relative lucidity, his eyes are haunted and he speaks in
a dead voice of the rapidly approaching darkness, of the
end of the Empire that he has foreseen.
Despite his dubious hold on reality, Feinkopf is one of
the few engineers alive who seems to have an innate
ability to diagnose and regulate the never-ending
mechanical problems of the lumbering land-ships, and
his exemplary battle record demands respect. Even in
the heat of combat, as enemies pound upon the armoured
hull of his steam tank, Feinkopf remains unaffected and
composed, resigned to his inevitable doom and the fate
of the world itself, conducting his work with diligent
efficiency. His command of various steam tanks over
the years has won a number of crucial battles for the
Empire. One of these was the battle of Ice Tooth,
where a bloodthirsty raiding force of barbarians from
the far north was rampaging southward. Feinkopf was
stationed alongside a minimal defensive force, who were
slaughtered to a man. Alone, the Engineer kept the
steam tank running for three solid days, managing to
hold off the savages until a fast moving reinforcement
force could come to his aid, routing the marauders.
With each passing day, Feinkopf's delusions last longer,
and it is harder for him to break out of his vivid waking
dreams. It is feared that some day soon he will descend
completely into madness. His engineer brethren shelter
him from the overzealous attentions of the Witch
Hunters, and already mourn the knowledge that will be
lost with his inevitable passing.
damaged beyond possible repair, and so the master
engineer's resolve strengthened, refusing requests for
the Deliverance to take part in battle.
Eventually, the engineers' decree was overruled by the
Emperor himself, and the Deliverance was ordered
back into duty. During this time of study, the weapon
systems of the steam tank were improved, making the
steam powered cannon more effective and reliable. A
new innovation was added to the Deliverance: the first
of the steam guns. This drew steam away from the
boiler, releasing it in an explosive burst over enemies
in close proximity, and proved highly successful in the
field.
In the year 2253, a time of increasing Chaos infiltration
and incursion, the Deliverance was fitted with an
experimental weapon, a precursor to the now
commonplace Helblaster volley gun. The steam tank
was all but destroyed in a catastrophic explosion, but
extensively rebuilt with no long-term detriment and the
Helblaster prototype was disabled pending further
research.
The steam gun has proven to be a popular and reliable
outfitting for the steam tanks since its inception.
Experiments replacing it with newly designed long-
range armaments and repeater handguns have met with
mixed response, although the results have been
encouraging of late (of particular note is the recent
creation of von Schrepp's so called 'multi-distributing
micro-explosive shell projectile prototype', which has
been met with unanimous support, and could prove to
be a popular replacement for the traditional steam gun).
During the Great Chaos Incursion of 2301, the
Deliverance was hurriedly outfitted with increased
armour plating and a large, tremendously powerful
steam cannon with which to repel the foulness that was
vomited from the north. It was acknowledged that this
larger weapon could prove overtly dangerous to the
steam tank itself, but that such a risk was well worth
taking. To power this large cannon, the Deliverance
was fitted with a secondary carriage containing another
boiler used solely to power the cannon. This weapon
proved exceptionally destructive to the Chaos forces,
although the secondary carriage was particularly
vulnerable to attack, and easily damaged.
After the Chaos hordes were eventually repelled by the
forces of Magnus the Pious, the secondary boiler and
cannon were removed from the Deliverance, having
been deemed too dangerous.
In recent years, under the reign of his Imperial
Highness Karl Franz, the engineers have continued to
experiment with the weapon systems of the
Deliverance, testing out a weapon designed to shoot
great bursts of flaming liquid over the enemy. This
weapon was inspired by a Dwarf war machine,
although at present the 'liquid-flame projector
prototype' is rather unsafe, and requires continued
research and experimentation before it will be truly
effective on the battlefield.
Even as I scribe this, the Deliverance is being refitted
with its traditional armament, the steam cannon, in
conjunction with the steam gun. Both of these weapons
have been refined to a level unseen before. The boiler
itself has been extensively reworked, and the inner
cabin of the steam tank fitted with a range of devices to
aid its commander in the control and regulation of the
pressure and steam. These modifications preceded the
Deliverance's journey to the northern forests of the
Empire, where a disturbing upsurge of Chaos activity
has been noted.
HELMUT THE BLACK
Helmut the Black was the feared and respected attendant
of the Elector Count of Nuln. Many rumours
surrounded him, ranging from the belief that he was the
personal assassin of the Elector Count, to his dabbling
in unspeakable dark magics and evil practices. One thing
that is known for certain about Helmut was that he was
a brilliant tactician and, though he was an unpopular
figure amongst the Empire troops, those serving under
him obeyed his commands unfailingly. Helmut rode to
battle atop the steam tank Von Zeppel, directing the
Elector Count's armies from the mounted fighting
platform. A highly skilled marksman, Helmut picked
out the enemy commanders with his modified longrifle,
which was custom built to his own design and mounted
on a swivelling bracket at the fore of the battle
platform.
Riding atop the Von Zeppel, Helmut never showed any
emotion in battle, his face an unreadable mask. The
steam tank was held behind the main battle line, where
the ebb and flow of the conflict could be observed, and
used to attack or bolster the Empire line as necessary.
While he preferred to be removed from the general
melee, choosing to attack the foe from afar, Helmut was
a fearsome warrior in combat. When the steam tank
thundered into the enemy, he wielded a massive two-
handed sword, chopping down on the enemy with
tremendous force and skill. Commanded by the shrewd
Helmut, the forces of Nuln were undefeated in open
battle for many years, and the Von Zeppel recognised
across the Empire. Helmut the Black disappeared under
mysterious circumstances after a great victory over an
Undead horde striking through the centre of the
Empire. Some say that he had angered a powerful
Necromancer by defeating the army and the evil
sorcerer had returned from the grave, seeking vengeance.
However, it would seem more likely that he was
'removed' for political reasons, his influence over the
Elector Count seen as unhealthy by many, particularly
because he was not of noble birth.
11
 THE 'MARIENBURG' CLASS
LAND BATTLE SHIP
The Wonder of the Age
One of the wealthiest cities in the Old World, a nexus
for trade and crossroads for many lands, such is
Marienburg's that in the year 2429 by Imperial
reckoning, it effectively 'bought' its secession and
independence from the Empire by a vast transfer of
gold into the Imperial coffers, its merchant-lords
having grown tired of the factious wars and intrigues of
the Imperial state and their effect on the only thing they
cared for - the pursuit of profit. This independence,
hard schemed for and defended many times both
against outside forces and from within as well as those
in the Empire who would see it undone, has been the
making of Marienburg's power, which stands greater
than it ever has, but has also proved in some
circumstances to be a two-edged sword, particularly in
12
military terms. Without the vast manpower and veteran
men-at-arms the Empire can call upon, Marienburg has
often been forced to 'buy' its way out of trouble, and its
merchant guilds have long learned to rely upon
mercenary forces and even privateers to supplement
their own small standing armies and retainers when the
need has arisen, which has been often. In particular,
allied troops from the Empire, its former realm and
largest trading partner have sometimes proved thin on
the ground in recent years when a great threat has come
to endanger Marienburg and the Empire both. In
particular elite Imperial units have proved an exorbitant
expense to hire, leaving the security of Marienburg
vulnerable.
A case in point has been the incredibly powerful and
extremely rare Empire Steam Tank, examples of which
have been 'loaned' in the past at back-breaking cost
(under close Imperial supervision of course) and had
proved unavailable to be purchased outright at any
cost. The genius behind the Steam Tank is all but
unreplicable at any rate, and such secrets as those
known by the Imperial Engineers guarded upon pain of
death. So, in recent years, with ever-increasing threats
to their city-state growing all around them, the guild-
masters of Marienburg sought to do what they had
always done and spend their way out of the problem,
and as they could not buy a Steam Tank, they would
commission something better! Wary of the political
ramifications, the Imperial School of Engineers at
Altdorf would have nothing to do with the contract,
while the Dwarfs merely scorned such human folly. To
a cabal of engineers at the Imperial Gunnery School of
Nuln however the proposition and the vast sums of
money offered proved irresistible, and with the
Countess Emmanuelle's tacit approval (and no doubt
reasons of her own beyond a cut of the price), they
entered into a secret bargain with the Marienburgers to
build them 'Steam Tanks' of their own. There was one
problem with this - they didn't know how to.
There were countless disasters at the prototype stage
and the whole project became known as the 'coffin
filler' by the young apprentices attached to it in dread.
Steam boilers such as they could construct couldn't be
made small enough and retain the necessary power
without becoming dangerously unstable, hull mounted
ordinance proved just as likely to smash the machine to
pieces when fired, and the whole thing had a tendency
to fall apart when the smallest change in direction was
attempted. Justly are the forges of the Imperial
Gunnery School famed for craftsmanship and
productivity but not for innovation, and with every
delay and cost overrun, the Engineers found
themselves agreeing to more and more concessions
from the hard-bargaining Marienburgers in turn – "yes,
it would be able to navigate the wetlands of the Cursed
Marshes", "yes, it could be crewed by Marienburg
troops rather than dedicated engineers," while the costs
kept spiralling and still with no working war machine
in sight. As the delay turned into years, the Merchant-
lords of Marienburg began to suspect that they'd been
had and their monies disappeared as if tossed down a
privy, and dark rumblings of a vengeful trade war were
in the offing which Nuln could little afford. It was then
that one of the more unstable of the Gunnery School
Engineers, a man named Hezekiah Guttmann (known
less than affectionately as the 'burnt scarecrow' to his
fellows), had an epiphany. If they could not construct a
small, powerful boiler such as the Steam Tank had,
why bother? Why not use a larger, cruder one instead
and the machine could be scaled up accordingly, and
conversely the cannon could be made smaller, and as
for the rest of the demands, they would appeal to the
Marienburgers' vanity - the machine would take the
shape of a boat (or as it transpired at least a caricature
of a boat), after all, they liked boats did they not? Once
seized upon by the desperate Engineers, this plan, as
crazed as it might have been, took hold very rapidly
and in a remarkably short time a prototype was
assembled hybridizing steam power, boat building and
some 'inspired' innovations by Guttmann. The entire
product looked more like a grotesquely-sized theatrical
prop than either a ship of war or a Steam Tank, and
was a pretty shameful imitation of either, but somehow
it worked - well, mostly! The provost-marshal of the
Imperial Gunnery School proclaimed them The
Wonder of the Age upon announcing their success to
the Countess Emmanuelle and the Marienburg legation,
and even managed to keep a straight face while doing
so. The Engineers' relief at the acceptance of the design
turn to something resembling panic however when the
Marienburgers ordered not one or two, but a squadron
of ten, and the functioning prototype proved less than
easy to replicate and the project continued to 'fill
coffins' apace.
Three 'Marienburg' Class Land Battle Ships (to give
them their official title) had been completed, with a
fourth on the way, when Tamurkhan's horde darkened
Wissenland's horizon. The Merchant Lords of
Marienburg had already made to secure their
investment by moving a number of heavy barges and a
sizable guard of veteran mercenaries, the infamous
Manann's Blades, to escort the first part of the 'fleet'
back to Marienburg upon completion. The Countess
Emmanuelle swiftly demanded the use of these 'wonder
weapons' in defence of the city, and the Marienburgers
were happy to oblige – for the right price!
Note: A Marienberg Land Ship may be included as a
Rare choice in an Empire or Dogs of War army.
M WS BS S T W I A Ld
Land Ship - - - 6 6 10 - - -
Crew - 3 3 3 - - 3 6 7
POINTS: 250 points.
TROOP TYPE: Chariot (Armour save 3+).
SPECIAL RULES: Large Target, Fear, Random
Movement (variable), Terror, Unbreakable.
Culverin: This is a type of light cannon, installed in
the prow of the Land Ship after the inclusion of larger
ordnance proved disastrous.
Range: Strength: Special Rules:
60" 7 Multiple Wounds (D3)
The Land Ship may still move and fire the cannon, and
may even fire it if engaged in combat contrary to the
usual rules (but can only nominate a target point in the
unit in base contact with the ship’s front). If the
weapon is destroyed by a Misfire result, the Land Ship
also immediately suffers D3 Wounds with no Armour
saves allowed.
13
 Fusillade: The deck crew, along with the complex
operation of piloting the ship and avoiding imminent
catastrophes such as the ship toppling over or the
boiler exploding, do their best in battle to let fly with a
wide number of sweepers, deck pistols and handguns
laid on and loaded for the purpose.
In addition to firing the Culverin, in each Shooting
phase the Land Ship can fire a fusillade at a single
target in any direction (note this does not need to be the
same target at which the Land Ship’s Culverin is
firing). This generates 6 shots that use the following
profile:
Range: Strength: Special Rules:
18" 4 Armour Piercing (1)
Note that unlike the Culverin, the Fusillade cannot be
used if the Land Ship is engaged in combat – the deck
crew are too busy repelling boarders!
The Wonder of the Age: Something of a poor
imitation of a true Empire Steam Tank in terms of
sophistication, the Land Ship does at least have size
and ambition in its favour, from its bulky armoured
hull to its oversized, life-threatening boiler and a
steerage mechanism that can only be described as the
fruits of an unhinged mind. In battle the Land Ship is
an insane sight, almost a mobile fortress in effect
towering over the battlefield, discharging its
thunderous gun and crushing the enemy underfoot
while its crew remain (almost) safe high on the deck
above. That is when it works and the wheels don’t fall
off, or the boiler explodes or the magazine catches
fire…
The Land Ship, lacking anything like the control of a
Steam Tank has two modes of movement: slow and full
power. The player must declare which they are using
before the Land Ship is moved each turn.
14
 Slow: The Land Ship may move up to 6" directly
forward without penalty or risk, but may not charge.
 Full Power: The Land Ship follow the rules for
Random Movement (3D6). However, if you roll two
or more 1's when determining the Land Ships
Random Movement, something has gone disastrously
wrong. Roll immediately on the Land Ship Calamity
Chart and apply the result.
THE LAND SHIP CALAMITY CHART
D6 Result
1 Abandon Ship! With an appalling cracking
sound, the main axles snap, spars shatter and
the wheels are crushed, dumping the ship
unceremoniously to the ground in an almighty
crash.
The Land Ship is destroyed but left on the
table as an area of impassable terrain. Any
unit in base contact when this happens suffers
D6 Strength 8 hits.
2-3 Arrrrgh! The boiler backfires, sending the
Land Ship hurtling forward.
The ship moves the rolled distance and an
additional D6", as well as suffering D3
wounds with no Armour save allowed.
4-5 All hands to the Wheel! The Land Ship slews
perilously out of control.
Roll a Scatter dice and move the ship the
rolled distance in the direction shown on the
dice. If a ‘hit’ is rolled, the crew manage to
drop the emergency anchor and the Land Ship
remains stationary.
6 Boom! Between the over-pressurised boiler
exploding and the powder magazine
detonating, the Land Ship makes a spectacular
fireball.
Everything within D6" of the Land Ship’s hull
suffers a Strength 6 hit and the Land Ship is
destroyed and removed from play.