The Hellhound is the Astra Militarum’s dedicated flame tank, a Chimera chassis rebuilt to carry an Inferno Cannon instead of troops. It exists to do one thing well: burn infantry out of cover, buildings, and tight terrain, and it’s feared for exactly that.
What the Hellhound actually is
Take a Chimera, strip out the troop compartment, and fill the space with a Promethium reservoir. That’s the core idea. The turret carries an Inferno Cannon, a short-ranged flamer that sprays self-igniting chemicals over a wide area rather than in a narrow jet.
The result is a tank that fills trenches, ruins, and alleyways with fire. It’s not a line-breaker or an anti-armour tool, it’s a cleaner. Anything clustered, dug in, or hiding behind a wall is exactly what it’s built for.
How it fights and how it’s deployed
Hellhounds rarely roll as a full company. Commanders attach them where they’re needed, often in small support squadrons or ad hoc groupings alongside armoured and mechanised units.
The Inferno Cannon’s short range is the trade-off. You have to drive close, which means driving into the teeth of enemy fire, and that’s where the Hellhound’s reputation for attracting volunteers of a certain temperament comes from.
The Promethium tank is both the point and the problem. It gives the Hellhound far more staying power than a normal flamer, but enemy fire can set it off and turn the tank into a fireball. That’s why the fuel tank is armoured and the hull is thicker than a standard Chimera’s, with a bigger engine to move the extra weight.
- Main gun: Inferno Cannon, turret-mounted, short range, wide area.
- Hull weapon: usually a Heavy Bolter, sometimes a Heavy Flamer or Multi-melta.
- Common upgrades: camo netting, dozer blade, extra armour, hunter-killer missile, pintle stubber or storm bolter, searchlight, smoke launchers.
Patterns and variants
There are two well-known Hellhound patterns. The Mars pattern keeps a profile close to a regular Chimera, which makes it harder for the enemy to pick out at range. The Artemia pattern swaps in a remotely operated turret, cutting the crew to two.
The Hellhound chassis also spawned two sibling variants that trade fire for other jobs. The Bane Wolf carries a chem cannon for poisoning rather than burning, and the Devil Dog mounts a multi-melta for cracking armour at close range.
| Variant | Main weapon | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Hellhound | Inferno Cannon | Anti-infantry, flushing cover |
| Bane Wolf | Chem cannon | Anti-infantry, toxic gas |
| Devil Dog | Multi-melta | Close-range anti-armour |
Why it matters in the lore
The Hellhound shows up in Imperial Guard armoured doctrine as a specialist tool, not a main battle tank. It’s what you send when the enemy won’t come out, and its presence shapes how infantry on both sides think about cover.
It’s also a favourite of Chaos forces, who’ve been known to field captured or corrupted versions. That fits the setting’s logic: a tank built to burn things alive is going to appeal to certain warbands.
Key facts
- The Hellhound is an Astra Militarum flame tank built on the Chimera chassis.
- Its main weapon is the Inferno Cannon, a short-ranged turret flamer that covers a wide area.
- The troop bay is replaced by a Promethium reservoir, which gives long endurance but can explode if hit.
- It’s usually attached to other units rather than deployed as a full company.
- Variants include the Bane Wolf (chem cannon) and Devil Dog (multi-melta).
FAQ
What is the Hellhound based on?
It’s built on the Chimera chassis. The troop compartment is replaced with a large Promethium tank that feeds the turret-mounted Inferno Cannon.
What’s the Hellhound’s main weakness?
Its Promethium tank. Enemy fire can ignite it and destroy the tank in a fireball, which is why the fuel store and hull are more heavily armoured than a Chimera’s.
Is the Hellhound the same as a Bane Wolf?
No. They share a chassis, but the Bane Wolf carries a chem cannon that poisons rather than burns. The Devil Dog is the anti-armour variant with a multi-melta.