The Leman Russ Executioner

The Executioner is one of the oldest variants of the Leman Russ. Records show that once, during the great Crusade, this vehicle equipped entire Imperial Guard armoured regiments. Now the Executioner is rarely seen. Only one forge world still manufactures the Executioner: Ryza, renowned within the Adeptus Mechanicus for its devout worship of the mystical arts of plasma reactor and magnetic containment field construction.

Ryza’s own tech guard regiments are almost exclusively equipped with Executioners.

As with its smaller cousins, the Plasma Destroyer is a temperamental piece of equipment, relying on ancient technologies that can no longer be replicated. Difficulty in containing the vast energies make the Executioner an unreliable but potential devastating weapon of war. Commanders complain that the photonic fuel cell lacks the power to maintain the plasma weapon’s efficiency over an extended engagement, and reloading the cell is overly time consuming in the heat of battle.

Imperial Guard tank crews do not favour this vehicle, and many old superstitions surround the blessing of the gun are still observed before battle. Most prefer the tried and tested battle cannon, but those men who do ride to battle as Executioner crews enjoy a reputation for foolhardy (many would say insane) bravery.