Blowing huge craters into enemy defences is great fun, and among the tanks of the Space Marine Legions there’s one that does it better than any other – the Typhon Heavy Siege Tank. At its heart, it’s an enormous cannon with tracks on either side, designed by the mind of a Primarch to level structures with a single blast of its Dreadhammer siege cannon.
Each vehicle is a masterwork of construction, requiring as much resource as the creation of multiple smaller tanks, so we couldn’t help but wonder: what comes out on top, the Typhon or an equivalent* squadron of its little brothers, Vindicators?
Only one way to find out.
Round 1 – Armour
It may come as no surprise that the Typhon, based on the indomitable Spartan chassis, is a heavily armoured beast. In addition to its plating, the tank operates a flare shield for added protection which can shrug off sure hits from lascannons.
The Vindicator squadron may have twice as many Hull Points between them, but without the protection of the flare shield they suffer damage far more readily. In a straight-out fight, the Typhon takes it.
Round 2 – Armament
Both tanks specialise in lobbing massive shells across relatively short distances, with the Typhon packing more fizz into its ordnance thanks to a barrel wide enough to fit a grown man inside.
Although the potent Dreadhammer siege cannon is three times as likely to activate its Rending ability – giving the shot AP2 so it blasts right through Terminator armour – the trio of Demolisher cannons are ultimately more consistent, and can deal far more damage overall. Plus, you can spread their shots out for extra infantry-smashing fun!
Round 3 – Mobility
Perturabo, siege master that he was, knew that the Typhon would have to keep up with the rest of his forces to be of use in protracted campaigns, and requested** the Spartan chassis keep all of its mobility despite the massive weapon it now carried. The result was a resounding success, though the Mechanicum may have had to toss out all of the passenger seats.
The Vindicator is a Rhino variant and retains its progenitor’s relatively high speed, outpacing the Typhon on flat ground. The added stability of the Typhon, however, allows it to fire its giant cannon on the move, while Vindicators have to park up and sight their targets for accurate fire – a clear win for the big guy.
Round 4 – Pedigree
As previously mentioned, the Typhon was designed by the prodigious mind of Perturabo himself. This gives it an air of prestige – only the Sicaran matches its provenance from the hands of another iron-appreciating Primarch.
Though the Vindicator doesn’t have a famous name attached, its legacy speaks for itself – Roboute Guilliman saw fit to recommend its use in his nascent Codex Astartes, and it remains in frontline service 10,000 years on. Proven performance wins out, so the Vindicator chalks up another point.
Round 5 – Looks
How could we possibly choose a favourite among our one big child and three smaller, but no less scrappy children? Easy – a bird in hand is worth three in the bush, and the Typhon is available to pre-order this weekend!
This opinion might change when the Vindicator hits pre-order in the coming months… We’re fickle like that.
* Roughly equivalent, anyway.
** Ok, demanded.