The Spartan Assault Tank is a Space Marine heavy transport from the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, built on Land Raider lines to do one job the Land Raider couldn’t: carry a full Terminator squad into battle and survive the trip.
Why the Spartan exists
It was designed during the Great Crusade to break through the Ring of Death, the plasma defence grid around Aries Primus on Mars. The Land Raider of that era couldn’t transport Terminators, so the Spartan was built to fill the gap.
Even with Spartans leading the way, only a fraction of the Terminator squads sent into the Ring of Death came out alive. That gives you a sense of what the design was built to face.
After the Heresy it spread widely, then faded once the standard Land Raider was redesigned to carry Terminators itself. Many Chapters still keep theirs, and Chaos warbands, mostly from the original Traitor Legions, still run Spartans dating back to the Crusade.
What it carries and how it fights
The modern Spartan mounts twin hull heavy bolters and two sponsons, each packing a quad-lascannon battery. That’s a lot of anti-armour firepower on a transport.
It can carry 25 power-armoured Marines, the largest capacity of any dedicated Imperial transport apart from the Gorgon. It’s also faster than other Land Raider variants, thanks to reactor-driven motive systems.
Spartans can be fitted with Flare Shields for extra protection. They tend to show up in Chapters with plenty of Terminator suits, the Minotaurs being a well-known example.
- Main armament: two sponson-mounted quad lascannons
- Secondary: twin-linked heavy bolter
- Transport capacity: 25 Marines in power armour
- Forge world of origin: Anvilus Nine
- Crew: driver and gunner
Key specifications
The figures below come from the technical readout, so treat them as the standard profile rather than a universal rule.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 71 tonnes |
| Length | 10m |
| Width | 6.1m |
| Height | 5m |
| Armour (hull/superstructure) | 95mm |
| Max speed (road/off-road) | 45kph / 38kph |
| Powerplant | Atomantic reactor core with auxiliary reactor |
Variants and named tanks
The Spartan Prometheus trades the standard lascannon setup for different equipment, and there are other patterns besides. Sources list known patterns running from I to VI.
Several individual Spartans have been named in the lore, though the details vary by source.
Key facts
- Built during the Great Crusade to carry Terminators when the Land Raider couldn’t
- Designed to break the Ring of Death around Aries Primus on Mars
- Armed with two sponson quad-lascannon batteries and twin hull heavy bolters
- Carries 25 power-armoured Marines, more than any dedicated Imperial transport except the Gorgon
- Faster than other Land Raider variants thanks to its reactor-driven motive systems
- Still fielded by Terminator-heavy Chapters and by Chaos warbands from the Traitor Legions
FAQ
What is the Spartan Assault Tank?
It’s a Space Marine heavy transport from the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy era, built on Land Raider lines to carry Terminator squads into battle. It’s larger and better armed than a standard Land Raider.
How many Marines can a Spartan carry?
Up to 25 in power armour, which is the largest capacity of any dedicated Imperial transport except the Gorgon.
Do Chaos Space Marines still use Spartans?
Yes. Many warbands, mostly from the original Traitor Legions, still field Spartans that date back to the Great Crusade.