LEMAN RUSS
Leman Russ Raptor
The Leman Russ Raptor variation was first introduced in the campaign on the jungle world of Tygris. During some extremely heavy fighting, two Leman Russ MBTs lost their battlecannons. Imperial Guard technical crews worked to replace the lost battlecannons with salvaged autocannons, keeping the Leman Russes in the campaign. The Raptor variation was later adapted for mass production and is cheaper to produce than any other Leman Russ variant. Its use is not as widespread as many of the other Leman Russ variants, but it has still proven its worth as a tank numerous times.
Leman Russ Gehenna
Created for the urban combat present on the world Gehenna, the Leman Russ Gehenna took the standard Leman Russ hull and placed an Inferno Cannon in the turret. Common modifications also included a hull-mounted heavy flamer. The Leman Russ Gehenna was very successful in clearing away the Orks that had attacked the world.
Leman Russ King
Originally conceived as a battlefield modification, the Leman Russ King is a variant on the core principle of the Leman Russ Vanquisher. Basilisks were low in number in the Arrian VII, so the commanding officers decided to have the King variant created from its large pool of Leman Russ MBTs. Their battlecannons were extended and their range increased to allow the battlecannons to fire at further distances, but they did not have the anti-tank modifications of the Vanquisher. The Leman Russ Kings would also do some double-duty, aiding the limited number of Basilisks in bombardments.
Leman Russ Lance
The Leman Russ Lance is an anti-armour variant of the Leman Russ based on the same principles as the Leman Russ Exterminator. The Lance has a pair of twin-linked lascannons in its turret, allowing it to move quickly across the battlefield and still have superior anti-tank firepower. Common full weaponry for the Lance includes a hull-mounted lascannon and two sponson-mounted lascannons.
The Lance was first put into service by the Carthian XVI in the fighting on Pentel II in 565.M38. It has been inducted into the service of several Imperial Guard regiments since, and is being manufactured on a number of Forge Worlds.
SOD: 'Sorry Old Deathtrap'
In the Battle for Ghor Noth, the Catachan XVII were continuously encircled, attacked, and then run from by Tau and Kroot forces. Many of the regiment's tanks were destroyed in the first week of fighting, leaving them with many wrecked vehicles and scrap metal, as well as an abundance of leftover weapons. In desparation, the Catachans took the pieces of a number of smashed Leman Russ MBTs and began to piece them together into three vehicles. Hardly recognizable as having once been Leman Russ MBTs, the three vehicles were patched together conglomerations of hull plating and scrap heavy flamers. Two heavy flamers in side sponsons were the vehicles' only weapons, providing nothing short of close range defense. Each vehicle could carry five Catachans as passengers, who could disembark by throwing open the rear access hatch. LAcking any official designation for such an outlandish field modification, the Catachns went with the name used by Sergeant Keln's squad: Sorry Old Deathtrap. Jokingly referring to the tanks as "SODs", the Catachans employed them in their bid to escape the Tau and leave Ghor Noth. The vehicles were somewhat successful, making Kroot Carnivores fear getting close to the Catachans. Two SODs survived the battle, but were scrapped and used as spare parts once the regiment returned to Catachan.
Leman Russ Purgator
The Ork invasion of Illis V was a surprise assault, shocking Imperial commanders in the system. The system was a manufacturer of many armaments used by the Imperium, meaning its forces were always well equipped. Knowing the Orks' abundance of numbers, the commander of the Illian II, Gregory Fein, ordered thirty of his regiment's Leman Russ MBTs to have their turret and forward hull weaponry be replaced with heavy bolters. This gave the modified Leman Russ tanks a forward mounted heavy bolter, twin linked heavy bolters in the turret, and two side sponson heavy bolters, more than enough to scythe down the Ork invaders. The variant was named the Purgator, and became very famous for its role in the defense of Illis V. The thirty Purgators had a combined kill total of 3,412 Orks and 428 light vehicles, at the expense of only four Purgators. The Purgator has since become a recognized variant of the Leman Russ.
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