Legions Imperialis – Whirlwind and Scorpius Missile Tank Squadrons

The final release in the Legions Imperialis series are the Whirlwind and Scorpius Missile Tank Squadrons, which are based on the Rhino chassis.

The Whirlwind is a Space Marine artillery support vehicle designed to provide indirect fire against entrenched infantry and light vehicles from behind cover. During the Horus Heresy, these vehicles were built on the Deimos Pattern Rhino chassis, which was later succeeded by the more common Mars Pattern. Its primary weapon is the Whirlwind Multiple Missile Launcher: a turret system mounted on the vehicle's dorsal surface, capable of firing different types of warhead, such as Vengeance missiles for light vehicles and Castellan incendiary missiles for flushing enemies out of cover. Although the Whirlwind's range is shorter than that of the Imperial Guard's artillery, it compensates with a faster reaction time, greater mobility and the ability to relocate quickly after firing. During the Great Crusade, the Deimos Whirlwind Scorpius variant was equipped with the experimental Scorpius Multi-Launcher: a rotary-fed system delivering faster, more concentrated barrages of implosive warheads, which were devastating against armoured infantry and light armour. Although production of the Scorpius system was lost in the 41st Millennium, surviving relics remain highly lethal when deployed. Overall, the Whirlwind serves as the Astartes' flexible artillery platform, softening defences and providing suppressive fire in support of Space Marine assaults.

This boxed set includes both the Whirlwind Missile Launcher and the Scorpius Missile Launcher for Legions Imperialis. The differences are not just aesthetic, but also affect the in-game stats. The Scorpius Missile Launcher provides Barrage and Light Anti-Tank, while the Whirlwind Missile Launcher provides Barrage, Ignores Cover and Rapid Fire. A detachment of these missile tanks consists of two vehicles and can be upgraded by two, four or six more vehicles.

Legions Imperialis – Vindicator Siege Tank Squadron

To bring you up to date with the latest releases, we will be covering the final two kits from Saturday's pre-order: the Vindicator Siege Tank and the Whirlwind/Scorpius Missile Tank.

The Deimos Vindicator is an early siege tank design used by the Legiones Astartes during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. It was later succeeded by the more common Mars Pattern. Built on the Deimos Rhino chassis, it features reinforced armour and a Demolisher Cannon that fires forward, making it ideal for short-range devastation in urban warfare and assaults on fortifications. Its heavy armour and low profile made it ideal for close infantry support, enabling it to act as a mobile strongpoint while smashing enemy barricades, vehicles and fortified positions. Unlike the Mars Pattern, the Deimos Vindicator could swap its main gun for a Laser Destroyer Array, converting it into an effective tank hunter. Many of these ancient tanks remain in service with Space Marine Chapters in the 41st Millennium, though they are far rarer than in the days of the Legions.

In the Horus Heresy, the Deimos Pattern Vindicator is used as the Mars Pattern had not yet been invented. In Legiones Imperialis, the unit only covers the Siege Tank with the Demolisher Cannon, not the Laser Destroyer. The hull-mounted Demolisher Cannon counts as a Demolisher and ignores cover. Vindicators come in a detachment of four and can be upgraded with two, four or six additional vehicles.

Legions Imperialis – Typhon Heavy Siege Tank Squadron

Just as the Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyer is, the Typhon Heavy Siege Tank is another specialised heavy armour detachment based on the Spartan Assault Tank.

Created at the request of Perturabo, Primarch of the Iron Warriors, the Typhon Heavy Siege Tank is a super-heavy variant of the Spartan Assault Tank, designed to provide the Legiones Astartes with mobile firepower equivalent to that of Imperial Army artillery. Its main armament is the Dreadhammer Siege Cannon: a massive forward-firing gun designed with Perturabo's input. It is capable of obliterating bunkers, fortifications and entire city blocks with its multi-tonne shells. The Typhon’s hull is extremely dense and reinforced to withstand the recoil and stresses of this weapon, making it nearly unstoppable when ploughing through rubble, ruins or battlefield debris. Compared to the Spartan, it carries lighter secondary armament, typically just sponson-mounted Lascannons or Heavy Bolters, alongside standard fittings such as smoke launchers and a searchlight. The Typhon was used by several Legions during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, primarily by the Iron Warriors and Imperial Fists due to their focus on siege warfare. As with many advanced vehicles of that era, it is unclear whether the Adeptus Mechanicus can still produce Typhons in the 41st Millennium, or if this technology has been lost.

In terms of Legions Imperialis rules, the Typhon is armed with a hull-mounted Dreadhammer Siege Cannon (Demolisher; ignores cover) and, just like the Cerberus, it is a Heavy Armour Detachment the size of one, but it can be upgraded with up to three further vehicles.

Legions Imperialis – Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyer Squadron

Two Heavy Armour Detachments for the Legiones Astartes are based on the Spartan Assault Tank chassis: the Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyer and the Typhon Heavy Siege Tank. Both will be reviewed today, but separately.

The Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyer is a rare, experimental, super-heavy vehicle that was used by the Space Marine Legions during the late Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy. As mentioned above, built on the Spartan Assault Tank chassis, it was designed by the Mechanicum to test the Neutron Laser Projector — a retro-engineered relic of Dark Age technology capable of crippling even Titans. However, the weapon was highly unstable and failed shots could cause catastrophic feedback; a damaged Cerberus risked detonating in an apocalyptic explosion. Despite these flaws, the vehicle was deployed on the front line by several Legions and later served Traitor forces during the Heresy. Secondary armaments included heavy bolters, lascannons, flamers and missile systems, while its flare shield offered additional protection. Following the Second Founding, the Cerberus fell out of widespread use due to the instability of its technology and the Imperium’s inability to maintain or reproduce its advanced systems.

I think the name Cerberus fits well, as it has three barrels of the Neutron Laser Projector, matching the three heads of the hell hound from Greek mythology.

In terms of the Legiones Imperialis, it is armed with a hull-mounted Neutron Laser Battery (Shock Pulse), a combined version of the weapon system mounted on the Sicaran Venator and Valdor Tank Hunter. The sponsons can be armed with either Heavy Bolters or Laser Cannons. The Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyer is categorised as a Heavy Armour Detachment with a unit size of one, but can be upgraded with up to three additional tanks.