Macharius (Heavy Tank)

The Macharius is a Heavy Tank used by the Imperial Guard.

The Macharius is one of a variety of super heavy tanks referred to as 'second generation' Baneblades. Built by forge worlds that do not possess the STC data to build Baneblades, the Macharius (named after the legendary Lord Commander Solar Macharius), fulfills the same battlefield role as the Baneblade, but lacks most of its advanced features, engine performance and armor bracing. First developed by Magos Nalax of Forge World Lucius, there are also variants of the Macharius with various weapon systems that replace the tank's twin battle cannons.

Variants
There are several modifications:

    Macharius with Battle Cannons - is armed with twin-linked Battle Cannons in the main turret. It is destructive against armored targets and infantry at long range.

    Macharius with Vanquisher Cannons - is armed with twin-linked Vanquisher Cannons in the main turret. It is destructive against armored targets at long range.

One of Magos Nalax's Macharius variants replaces the battle cannons with powerful Vanquisher Cannons. These weapons, although harder to manufacture and never available in great numbers, fire a very high velocity anti-tank shell that can penetrate the thickest armor with devastating results. The addition of these weapons turns the standard Macharius into a deadly tank killer.

    Macharius with Vulcan Mega-bolter - is armed with a Vulcan Mega-Bolter, a super weapon of Titans. It is destructive against groups of lightly armored targets at close range (light vehicles, infantry etc.)

The 'Vulkan' variant of the Macharius mounts the fearsome Vulcan mega-bolters, a weapon normally carried by Titans. This multiple-barrelled gatling autocannon fires thousands of rounds per minute in a destructive torrent, turning the standard Macharius into a highly effective anti-personnel weapon, although because of its size, ammunition is restricted.

    Macharius 'Omega' - A relatively new addition to the Imperial arsenal, the Malcador Omega is armed with a mighty Omega-pattern Plasma Blastgun. The Omega-pattern Plasma Blastgun is a more compact design that allows it to be mounted on smaller vehicles, but is also highly unstable and prone to overheating. The comparable ease with which the Macharius Omega can be manufactured and maintained has more then overcome its shortcomings in the eyes of the Departmento Munitorum, and large quantities of resources have been devoted to the Forge Worlds which produce them such as Lucius. Subsequently, the Omega has proven its worth on the battlefield and in counter assaults against the Tyranids in particular.