Redemptor Dreadnought

"Some have called us the Angels of Death. It is a name well chosen, for we bring redemption to those who need it the most -- the cold and final redemption of the grave."

— Primaris Ancient Thracius Decoglorian

The Redemptor Dreadnought is a new pattern of Adeptus Astartes Dreadnought specifically created to serve alongside the Primaris Space Marines. It, like the standard Firstborn pattern Castraferrum Dreadnought, is intended to provide mortally wounded Primaris Marines with another chance to continue to serve the Emperor, though it is the largest Dreadnought pattern ever deployed by the Space Marines.

Role[]

Redemptor Dreadnoughts are giant war engines that crush bone and splinter skulls as they bludgeon through the enemy ranks. Taller, broader and more cunningly wrought than the Dreadnoughts of traditional design, these goliaths of battle are powered by hyper-dense Plasma Reactors and sophisticated fibre bundles.

They can accelerate from a thudding stomp to a thunderous, loping gait that shakes the ground, barrelling through hails of fire in glorious defiance.

One jointed arm of the Redemptor is given over either to a devastating Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon -- a rotary ballistic weapon that can chew through a band of Heretic Astartes in a single pass -- or a Macro Plasma Incinerator, a weapon that harnesses the heat of captive suns to melt enemy tanks to bubbling sludge.

The other arm ends in an articulated Dreadnought-sized Power Fist of advanced design called a Redemptor Fist. With this pistoned gauntlet the Redemptor can tear even Tyranid bio-beasts and Daemon Engines apart at close quarters.

Such is the miraculous design of the Redemptor's neural links that its inhabitant, despite being entombed in a box-like sarcophagus within the Dreadnought's torso, can exercise control with surprising dexterity and speed. Yet it is whispered that the advanced systems of the Redemptor are a curse as well as a blessing. The Martian Tech-priests in the service of Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl who first built these walking machines of destruction spared little thought to the health of the incumbent, seeing him as little more than another part to be interred or replaced as necessary.

Many of those Redemptors that have fought for a sustained period have already had their sarcophagi replaced, their original pilots burned out by the intensity of the machine's destructive prowess. There have even been instances where the Redemptor Dreadnought's surging energies have leeched its occupant's life force until he is reduced to nothing but a sac of blackened organs, fit only to be reinterred, this time in a true mausoleum dedicated to his selfless sacrifice.

Wargear[]

• Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon (Right arm)

• Heavy Flamer (Underslung below Redemptor Fist)

• Icarus Rocket Pod (Mounted above head, personal air defence)

• 2 Fragstorm Grenade Launchers (Mounted in carapace torso)

• Redemptor Fist (Left arm)

• Macro Plasma Incinerator (As replacement for Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon)

• Onslaught Gatling Cannon (As replacement for Heavy Flamer)

• 2 Storm Bolters (As replacement for 2 Fragstorm Grenade Launchers)

Notable Redemptor Dreadnoughts[]

• Malcades (Ultramarines) - Malcades was a Redemptor Dreadnought in service to the Ultramarines Chapter who was the first Primaris Space Marine to fall in battle in the Realm of Ultramar during the Indomitus Crusade. After being placed within the shell of a Redemptor Dreadnought, he fought in the Plague Wars on the Ultramaran world of Espandor against the forces of Nurgle.

• Indomator (Ultramarines) - Indomator is an Ultramarines Redemptor Dreadnought who has served in the Indomitus Crusade since its earliest days. This led him to gain significant strategic insight, which he and his fellow Redemptor Dreadnought Marius provided to the strike force of Lieutenant Cassian as they fought the crusade's enemies. During that time Indomator successfully aided the strike force in defeating the flesh-cults of the world of Knossa in the Imperium Nihilus and the Death Guard warband of the Lord of Contagion Gurloch.

• Marius (Ultramarines) - Marius is an Ultramarines Redemptor Dreadnought who has served in the Indomitus Crusade since its earliest days. This led him to gain significant strategic insight, which he and his fellow Redemptor Dreadnought Indomator provided to the strike force of Lieutenant Cassian as they fought the crusade's enemies. During that time Indomator successfully aided the strike force in defeating the flesh-cults of the world of Knossa in the Imperium Nihilus and the Death Guard warband of the Lord of Contagion Gurloch.

• Valtus (Ultramarines) - Valtus is an Ultramarines Redemptor Dreadnought currently serving aboard the battle barge Resilient. A veteran of the Plague Wars, Valtus was deployed to the Cemetery World of Demerium in the Recidious System during the Recidious Campaign to battle the Thousand Sons thrall-band that invaded the system under the cover of a Tyranid invasion in the Fourth Tyrannic War. The Thousand Sons' leader, the Sorcerer Lord Imurah, sought to secure control of the Chaos relic that was being used as the power source for the Imperium's Project Aurora anti-Warp weapon being developed on that system's worlds of Kadaku and Demerium.

• Asger the Frozen (Space Wolves) - Asger the Frozen was a Space Wolf of Ragnar Blackmane's Great Company who also served in the Task Force Icepelt sent under the command of the Primaris Astartes Battle Leader Haldor Icepelt to the world of Vigilus during the War of Beasts. The task force sought to protect Vigilus' water supplies from infection by the toxins of the gene-sect of the Pauper Princes Genestealer Cult known as the Claw of the Thirsting Wyrm. The Space Wolves hunted the Thirsting Wyrm into the vast subterranean complex in the Oteck Hivesprawl of Vigilus that lay below the great water reservoir known as Geigan's Hollow. A long, gruelling hunt with a fierce battle at its conclusion is a way of life upon Fenris, and the Thirsting Wyrm soon found to their cost that the sons of Russ did not tire easily. As he fought through the main purification plant of Greigan Hollow, Haldor detoured to unite with a towering Redemptor Dreadnought -- Asger the Frozen. The cybernetic war machine's piston-driven strength let him smash a path through rockcrete walls and wrench foot-thick pipes aside whenever the strike force's path was barred. The Space Wolves ultimately succeeded in destroying the portion of the complex that was seeding Vigilus' water supply with xenos toxins intended to make the planet's population more susceptible to manipualtion by the psychic hypnosis and suggestion commands of the Purestrain Genestealers and cult Maguses.

• Kurggar Fyrfist (Space Wolves) - Fyrfist is a Redemptor Dreadnought of the Space Wolves and one of the finest warriors currently serving in that Chapter.

• Tallus (Dark Angels) - Tallus is a Redemptor Dreadnought of the Dark Angels.

• Oriax (Sons of Guilliman) (KIA) - Oriax was a Redemptor Dreadnought who was part of the strike force that fought to save the Industrial World of Drevaris from the invading forces of the T'au Empire. Along with their Silver Skulls allies, the Sons of Guilliman fought a devastating battle with the T'au and Oriax met his end, when he exploded after being struck by a KV128 Stormsurge's Pulse Driver Cannon.

• Lazarius (Silver Skulls) (KIA) - Lazarius was a Redemptor Dreadnought of the Silver Skulls Chapter who was part of the strike force that fought to save the Industrial World of Drevaris from the invading forces of the T'au Empire. Along with their Sons of Guilliman allies, the Silver Skulls fought a devastating battle with the T'au, and Lazarius was killed by the T'au Commander Novastorm. Worse still, the damage Lazarius suffered caused his Redemptor Dreadnought to explode, which killed several nearby battle-brothers of his Chapter.

• Rahellion (Deathwatch) - Rahellion is a Redemptor Dreadnought currently serving in the Deathwatch. He was part of a strike force that invaded the Ork-held planet of Gruk's World to destroy the Doomzday Bomb. In the battle that followed, Rahellion earned himself great renown by singlehandedly tearing apart the Warboss Gruk and then destroying the bomb.

• Gideon of the Adamant Fist (Deathwatch) - Gideon of the Adamant Fist is one of the few Redemptor Dreadnoughts serving in the Deathwatch. He has had an immediate and spectacular effect on whatever mission or battle he has fought in. He has already been recorded as a hero of the Deathwatch in the annals of his watch fortress.

• Zachorial the Destroyer (Deathwatch) - Zachorial the Destroyer is one of the few Redemptor Dreadnoughts serving in the Deathwatch. He has had an immediate and spectacular effect on whatever mission or battle he has fought in. He has already been recorded as a hero of the Deathwatch in the annals of his watch fortress.

• Purgatus Rex (Deathwatch) - Purgatus Rex is one of the few Redemptor Dreadnoughts serving in the Deathwatch. He has had an immediate and spectacular effect on whatever mission or battle he has fought in. He has already been recorded as a hero of the Deathwatch in the annals of his watch fortress.

Brutalis Dreadnought[]

The Brutalis Dreadnought is a variant of the Redemptor Dreadnought that has been specialised through its weapon loadout for melee combat. The Brutalis Dreadnought is a purebred assault weapon designed for maximum shock and carnage. Like all Primaris Marine Dreadnoughts, its high performance comes at the expense of the mortally wounded Astartes pilot within its cybernetic sarcophagus, whose damaged form is slowly burned out by the strain of operating such an awesomely powerful combat walker.

Those who endure such exertions still find their minds drifting away from their former selves, though in the eyes of their Chapter it is a small price to pay for their martial might. They fight with a pair of terrifying Brutalis Talons, which can rip enemy tanks and infantry asunder or even tear the legs from a Chaos Knight.

However, the Brutalis Dreadnought can also be outfitted with Brutalis Fists which hit with the force of a thunderbolt and come with built-in, wrist-mounted, twin-linked Bolt Rifles for added anti-infantry firepower. The Dreadnought's twin-linked Icarus Ironhail Heavy Stubber teaches enemy aircraft not to seek safety in the skies and ensures that it is not an easy target for the foe's airpower.

Chassis-mounted Heavy Bolters allow a Brutalis Dreadnought to unleash respectable amounts of anti-infantry firepower. If a Chapter needs its Brutalis Dreadnoughts to face enemy armour, a pair of Multi-Meltas in place of the Heavy Bolters will cook any vehicles that the Brutalis does not crush with its fists or rip apart with its claws.

Wargear[]

• Twin-linked Icarus Ironhail Heavy Stubbers (Mounted above head)

• Brutalis Talons

• Brutalis Fists with built-in, wrist-mounted, twin-linked Bolt Rifles (As replacement for Brutalis Talons)

• 2 Heavy Bolters (Mounted in carapace torso)

• 2 Multi-Meltas (Mounted in carapace torso as replacement for Heavy Bolters)

Ballistus Dreadnought[]

The Ballistus Dreadnought is a variant of the standard Redemptor Dreadnought that serves the Adeptus Astartes as a fearsome ranged weapons platform armed with a versatile Ballistus Missile Launcher capable of unleashing Frag and Krak Missiles and a devastating Twin-linked Lascannon, the perfect counter to heavily armoured enemy monsters and tanks.

The Ballistus Dreadnought was of particular use in Adeptus Astartes combats with xenos foes that tended to attack in large swarms or masses, such as the Tyranids and the Orks. The Dreadnought's missile weapons and Lascannon were also highly effective at taking down heavily-armoured but extremely powerful single targets such as the larger Tyranid bioforms and Ork armoured vehicles like Battlewagons.

Wargear[]

• Twin-linked Ballistus Lascannon (Arm-mounted)

• Ballistus Missile Launcher (Arm-mounted)
  • Frag Missiles
  • Krak Missiles

• 2 Twin-linked Storm Bolters (Chassis-mounted)

Sources[]

• Codex Adeptus Astartes - Space Marines (8th Edition), pp. 83, 115, 166
• Codex Adeptus Astartes - Blood Angels (8th Edition) pg. 53
• Codex Adeptus Astartes - Dark Angels (8th Edition), pp. 52, 102
• Codex Adeptus Astartes - Deathwatch (8th Edition), pp. 46-47, 74-75
• Codex: Blood Angels (8th Edition), pg. 53
• Codex: Dark Angels (8th Edition), pg. 73
• Codex: Deathwatch (8th Edition), pg. 47
• Codex: Space Marines (8th Edition) (Revised Codex), pp. 80, 137
• Codex: Space Marines (9th Edition), pp. 37, 163
• Codex: Space Wolves (8th Edition), pp. 72–73
• Crusade (Novella) by Andy Clark, Chs. 1, 4, 6, Epilogue
• Dark Imperium (Novel) by Guy Haley, Ch. 21
• Imperium Nihilus - Vigilus Defiant (8th Edition), pg. 30
• White Dwarf (May 2018), "Battle Report: The Defence of Drevaris"
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II (Video Game)
• Primaris Space Marines FAQ
• Warhammer Community - The Brutalis Dreadnought Is Even More Terrifying Than You Thought
• Warhammer Community - Warhammer 40,000: Leviathan – What’s In The Box?
• Codex: Space Marines Interview – Warhammer 40,000

Gallery[]

Indomitable, relentless, this Redemptor Dreadnought anchors these Ultramarines' battle line.

Two Redemptor Dreadnoughts of the Ultramarines Chapter displaying variant primary weapon load-outs; the left wields a Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon, the right a Macro Plasma Incinerator

A Redemptor Dreadnought of the Ultramarines outfitted with Macro Plasma Incinerator, Redemptor Fist, Icarus Rocket Pod (above head), 2 Storm Bolters (in torso) and Onslaught Gatling Cannon (below Redemptor Fist)

A Redemptor Dreadnought of the Ultramarines Chapter armed with a Macro Plasma Incinerator, Redemptor Fist, Icarus Rocket Pod (above head), 2 Fragstorm Grenade Launchers (in torso) and Heavy Flamer (below Redemptor Fist)

An Ultramarines Redemptor Dreadnought equipped with a Macro Plasma Incinerator, Icarus Rocket Pod, Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Storm Bolters and a Redemptor Fist

A Redemptor Dreadnought of the Space Wolves Chapter

A Brutalis Dreadnought of the Blood Angels Chapter armed with Brutalis Talons and two Multi-Meltas confronts T'au Fire Warriors.

Videos[]