The Griffon is the Astra Militarum’s heavy mortar carrier, a Chimera-hulled artillery piece built to lob shells at infantry and light vehicles just ahead of the front line. It’s the middle ground between a Basilisk’s reach and a tank’s punch, and it’s been quietly slipping out of production for centuries.
What the Griffon actually is
It’s an artillery vehicle built on the Chimera chassis, which makes it a cousin to the Basilisk and the Medusa. Instead of a long-barrelled gun, it carries a heavy mortar in an open-topped mount.
That open top is a real trade-off. It gives the crew room to work the mortar fast, but it leaves them exposed to incoming fire and the weather. The Griffon is meant to sit close behind the line, not on it.
- Based on the Chimera chassis, so it shares the same engine, tracks, and hull layout
- Main gun: heavy mortar, hull-mounted heavy bolter as secondary
- Role: close to medium-range artillery support against infantry and light armour
- Open-topped, no turret, limited traverse of just 3 degrees
Why commanders argue about it
Critics say the mortar is too small to justify mounting it on a whole vehicle. It ties up fire control and observation crews that could be spotting for bigger guns, and it doesn’t hit hard enough to break heavy targets.
Supporters see it differently. The Griffon is cheap, fast, and easy to keep running, and its mortar is genuinely good against infantry and light vehicles. That frees up Basilisks and Medusas for the targets they’re actually built to kill.
The mobility argument matters too. A Griffon can keep pace with a mechanised advance, which heavier artillery often can’t. That’s why regiments still bring them along even as the design ages.
Technical details
The standard Vanaheim-pattern Griffon is a 38-tonne vehicle with a Vulcanor 16 twin coupled multi-burn powerplant, good for 70 kph on roads and 55 kph off them. It carries 20 mortar rounds and 300 heavy bolter rounds.
Upgrades are typical Guard kit: camo netting, dozer blades, extra armour, an enclosed crew compartment, a hunter-killer missile, and a pintle-mounted storm bolter or heavy stubber. The hull heavy bolter can be swapped for a heavy flamer.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Crew | Driver, commander, gunner, loader |
| Weight | 38 tonnes |
| Length / width / height | 6.9 m / 4.8 m / 3.85 m |
| Main armament | Heavy mortar (20 rounds) |
| Secondary | Hull heavy bolter (300 rounds) |
| Traverse / elevation | 3 degrees / +35 to +80 degrees |
| Speed | 70 kph road, 55 kph off road |
| Armour | 100 mm superstructure, 150 mm hull |
A design on the way out
The Griffon is the most common Chimera variant in service, but that hasn’t saved it. Imperial commanders increasingly treat it as a relic, and losses usually aren’t replaced. Production on many forge worlds has been falling for a long time.
It hasn’t vanished yet. Plenty of regiments still keep Griffon batteries in their inventories, and they turned up in force during the Taros Campaign, including with the 114th Cadian Mechanised Infantry Regiment.
Known patterns include the Vanaheim and Urdesh II variants, with designations running from I to IIX. The Jantine Patricians are one of the regiments known to field them.
Key facts
- The Griffon is a heavy mortar carrier built on the Chimera chassis, related to the Basilisk and Medusa.
- It’s armed with a heavy mortar and a hull-mounted heavy bolter, with an open-topped, turretless design.
- It weighs 38 tonnes and can hit 70 kph on roads, making it fast enough to escort mechanised advances.
- Critics say the mortar is too small for a vehicle mount; supporters call it the ideal balance of weight, firepower, and mobility.
- It’s the most common Chimera variant, but losses are rarely replaced and production is falling on many forge worlds.
- The 114th Cadian Mechanised Infantry Regiment and the Jantine Patricians are known to have fielded Griffons.
FAQ
What is the Griffon in Warhammer 40k?
It’s an Imperial Guard artillery vehicle built on the Chimera chassis. It carries a heavy mortar in an open-topped mount and provides close to medium-range fire support for infantry and mechanised advances.
Is the Griffon better than a Basilisk?
Not for range or raw power. The Basilisk hits harder and further, but it’s slower and less suited to keeping up with fast advances. The Griffon is cheaper, more mobile, and better against infantry and light vehicles, which is why some commanders prefer it as a compromise.
Why is the Griffon being phased out?
Critics argue its mortar is too small to justify mounting on a vehicle, and it uses up spotting and fire control assets that bigger guns need. As a result, losses often aren’t replaced and forge world production has been declining.