Question about Super Heavy Tanks

[Valkerie]

Not a very important question, but one that I can't seem to find an answer for. The sources I've checked (surprise, surprise,) contradict each other.

The question is, Are super heavy tanks part of an Imperial Guard Regiment, or are they seconded to the regiment by the Adeptus Mechanicus? I know that Titans and Titan Legions are part of the Machine Cult, and that the super heavies are built by the Machine Cult, but do they retain control over their deployment, or are they issued to the regiments and then become the property of the regiments? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Gotthammer]

They're part of an IG regiment (or a SH regiment in their own right). Whilst they are built by the mechaniucs most of the IG's tanks are too, so that's not a factor. SH tanks are likely solely produced by Mechanicus worlds due to advanced technical wotsits, but once built are handed over to the Munitiorium.

The Mecahnicus only has control over the forces of the Collegia Titanica, Skitarii and the Ordinatus superheavies.

[Denzark]

Although the bigger ones may have a tech priest on board.

[JamesP]

As stated by Gotthammer, they are part of the IG. Specifically, they form part of their armoured regiments, with each super heavy being viewed as the equivalent of a squadron of lesser tanks

In Epic Space Marine and Titan Legions, super heavy tanks could be fielded in companies of three tanks (for comparison, a Leman Russ company consisted of 3 squadrons of 3 tanks each plus one company command tank). There is also an Apocalypse formation of 3+ Baneblades called the Steel Fury Baneblade Company on the GW website.

Going back to Epic, a single super heavy tank was the equivalent of a platoon of infantry or a squadron of normal tanks.

I'm not sure how super heavy formations are defined in the current edition of Epic - I can't remember it off the top of my head don't have my rulebook to hand - but I don't think there were any significant changes from the earlier editions.

I suspect the various Forgeworld books have further information on how super heavies are organised, company markings, etc.

[Eberk]

Real life (historical WWII) comparisons can be made.


Super Heavy tanks are part of their own regiment/batalion (say 10 super heavies in a regiment ??)

They are not part of an infantry regiment but will be controled on higher levels (Division/Corps/Army/Army Group) and will be temporarily seconded to parts of the battleline where their support is needed. Most of the time only a single super heavy but if needs arrise then a full company (or even regiment) can fight together.

This is how I think it works

[Chris*ta]

They're part of an IG regiment (or a SH regiment in their own right). Whilst they are built by the mechaniucs most of the IG's tanks are too, so that's not a factor. SH tanks are likely solely produced by Mechanicus worlds due to advanced technical wotsits, but once built are handed over to the Munitiorium.

The Mecahnicus only has control over the forces of the Collegia Titanica, Skitarii and the Ordinatus superheavies.

You're leaving out the Knights! Aren't they controlled by the Collegia Titanica? I can't remember the Adeptus Mechanicus era fluff too well ...

Real life (historical WWII) comparisons can be made.


Super Heavy tanks are part of their own regiment/batalion (say 10 super heavies in a regiment ??)

They are not part of an infantry regiment but will be controled on higher levels (Division/Corps/Army/Army Group) and will be temporarily seconded to parts of the battleline where their support is needed. Most of the time only a single super heavy but if needs arrise then a full company (or even regiment) can fight together.

This is how I think it works

It's probably not worth comparing to WWII. The heaviest tanks (that actually saw battle, at least) in WWII were about 70 tonnes, compared to the "typical" tanks being around 30. In the 40th millennium, Leman Russes are 60 tonnes, whereas the Baneblade is over 300 tonnes.

One good point you do mention is that super heavies will not be in the same regiment as infantry. The fluff has it that the vast majority of regiments are highly specialised, so infantry for one regiment, artillery for another, tanks for a third, cavalry for yet another, and super heavies for a fifth.

I'm sure I've seen somewhere that you would have anti aircraft weapons as a separate regiment, but can't help but wonder if it wouldn't be more logical to have them incorporated into other regiments.

[Traveler]

I'm sure I've seen somewhere that you would have anti aircraft weapons as a separate regiment, but can't help but wonder if it wouldn't be more logical to have them incorporated into other regiments.

They are a separate regiment as well, they have a little story about a Hydra regiment shooting down a bunch of chaos drop pods or something in the IG codex under the Hydra entry.

[Chris*ta]

Yeah, I'm just dubious about them being separate regiments because, strategically speaking, they can't actually do anything! They're there purely to protect other assets from air attack. Which means that any AA regt would permanently be divided up in to small units (i.e. 3 hydras) and attached to every other regt in the warzone. Which is why it makes more sense to have small amounts of AA organic to regts that need it. At least you'd know they speak the same form of Low Gothic that way

[The AKH]

You probably have instances of both occurring across the galaxy - there are some dedicated AA regiments, and many armoured regiments that have AA companies.

[Chris*ta]

It just seems odd to have AA regiments, because the purpose of AA is purely to defend other assets, whereas every other regiment has an offensive purpose.

Imagine how you'd feel being a commander if 10 AA regiments turned up to the planet you're meant to be liberating and nothing else.