The Deredeo Pattern Dreadnought is a heavy fire support variant of the dreadnought class, sharing much of its design and function with the Contemptor Dreadnought. However, unlike the Contemptor, which is optimized for close-quarters combat, the Deredeo was engineered as a mobile artillery platform—far more stable and effective on the battlefield.
Its chassis is heavily reinforced to bear the weight of the experimental weapon systems it carries, making it a top choice among the Legiones Astartes during the Great Crusade as a testbed for advanced armaments. Mounted on its frame are a variety of heavy weapons, ranging from ground-mounted auto-cannon arrays like the Anvilus Autocannon Battery to the devastating Hellfire Plasma Cannonade, designed to incinerate infantry and heavy vehicles alike with thermonuclear blasts.
For anti-vehicle and anti-air operations, the Deredeo is equipped with the Arachnus Heavy Lascannon Battery, supported by supplementary ammunition and an Aiolos missile launcher. The independent targeting system of this launcher enables precise strikes against fast-moving targets with exceptional accuracy.
In close-quarters engagements, the Deredeo can be outfitted with secondary weapons such as Heavy Bolters or Heavy Flamers, bolstering its role as a near-impenetrable moving fortress. Its battlefield reliability is further enhanced by the integration of a spiral targeting array, which sharpens its firing precision, and an Atomantic Pavaise energy shield system that offers additional protection for both itself and allied forces nearby.
With overwhelming firepower, near-impervious durability, and unmatched tactical versatility, the Deredeo Pattern Dreadnought is more than just a war machine—it is a towering symbol of the Imperium's unyielding will, a living bastion of steel delivering death from afar.
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"For the Emperor!!!"
Every weapon system on the Deredeo Dreadnought Dauntless activated without hesitation. In an instant, a thunderous barrage erupted across the battlefield, sweeping through the endless horde of Hammerhead Titanothere Beasts charging in from the treeline. Waves of energy and heavy projectiles detonated one after another, unleashing an unstoppable storm of fire and metal.
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"I am the Emperor's Angel of Death! I bring only death!"
The deep, echoing voice thundered from within the armored shell of the Dreadnought Fearless—a death knell for the enemies of the Imperium. With crushing strides, five Space Marine veterans flanked him from both sides, clad in imposing Cavalry Pattern Terminator armor. Their coordinated volleys delivered precise, surgical devastation.
The monstrous hammer-headed beasts couldn't withstand the relentless onslaught. Their hulking bodies collapsed and were torn asunder, forced to retreat under the never-ending rain of explosive firepower.
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"ROAR! ROAR!"
Agonized howls and furious bellows from the dying beasts mingled with the deafening roar of heavy guns, forming a brutal symphony of unrelenting war. Amid the chaos of noise and flame, from the shadowed underbrush of the forest, dozens of Viper Wolves surged forth—an incoming second wave, primed to strike.
They were fast—blisteringly so—and headed straight for the Space Marines' position.
> "Don't fire. I'll handle this," Khârn said flatly, his voice laced with a chilling restraint that barely veiled the bloodlust beneath.
Returning his bolter to Angron without ceremony, Khârn gripped his new weapon: a hand-forged power axe crafted by a Salamanders artisan, inscribed with glowing runes and etched with plasma conduits that pulsed with a cold blue light.
A Viper Wolf lunged at him—fast, feral, and savage.
Khârn didn't flinch. With a swift, precise motion, he swung his axe upward—cleaving not just through flesh, but through time itself.
The creature was 2.3 meters long and nearly a meter tall, its sinewy body powered by six muscular limbs. Four green-glowing eyes gleamed with primal hunger beneath a hideless frame armored with bone-like plating. Its claws resembled grasping hands—an unnatural evolutionary bridge between canine and simian.
But none of its biological superiority mattered.
Kepala Viper Wolf yang memimpin terlepas dari tubuhnya dalam satu tebasan. Darah hitam menyembur dari lehernya saat tubuhnya roboh dengan suara debam keras.
The head of the leading Viper Wolf was severed cleanly in a single swing. Black blood sprayed from its neck as its massive body collapsed with a thunderous thud.
More Viper Wolves lunged at Khârn, snapping and clawing, but to the battle-hardened warrior, they were nothing more than minor nuisances.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
His power axe whirled like a cyclone of death. In mere seconds, dozens of venomous wolves were slaughtered brutally. Their bodies were flung, cleaved, scorched, and shattered in a storm of unrelenting violence.
The ground battle ended in a decisive victory. But Jack knew—it wasn't over yet. The fight ahead would take place in the forest and in the skies—terrains far more dangerous, demanding higher risks and greater sacrifices.
At that moment, Jack reconnected with the will of the planet. In the soft yet pressuring whispers echoing through his consciousness, he realized the enemy this time wasn't just a typical threat. This entity had taken his wife and children. It was personal—and now, it was a threat to all of Pandora.
> "Jack! What should we do?!"
The panicked cry came from below. Jack stood atop a large stone, looking down at the surviving Na'vi. Their eyes burned with spirit, but also confusion and fear.
He thought fast, weighing the conditions of his forces and the most logical plan of action.
> "We'll split into two groups," Jack shouted. "One will hold off their air assault. The other will lure their ground troops into the forest. Remember—the forest is our world. They can't win on our turf!"
A chorus of wild, primal cheers erupted. The Na'vi roared with fierce enthusiasm, confident they would triumph like before. But they didn't know—this time, their enemy wasn't just ordinary humans, but a full military force with command structure, logistics, and real war strategy.
> "Tomorrow, I'll draw their attention myself," Jack added firmly. "That's when we strike."
While Jack was laying out strategies deep within the wild, untamed heart of Pandora, on the other side of the war, Kenthelion stood at the center of a tactical briefing alongside his top-ranking officers in the orbital command base. A glowing holographic map of Pandora hovered above the round table, displaying the contours of its forests, highlands, and the detected positions of Na'vi forces.
> "The Na'vi rely heavily on the forest for ambushes and guerrilla tactics. We can't just march in blindly. So—what are your suggestions?"
One officer leaned forward, pointing to specific regions on the map.
> "They're counting on the jungle terrain. But if our forces go in too deep, they'll risk falling into traps, running out of supplies, and being cut off with no way out. They'll be vulnerable to hidden heavy weaponry," he explained, sketching circles around strategic choke points.
> "The solution is to position our forces around the perimeter to establish a blockade. Then, we initiate controlled burns to flush them out of the forest. Simultaneously, we build logistic rail lines and forward outposts to limit their movement."
Another officer chimed in:
> "We'll station rapid-response units at key locations. The moment the enemy shows themselves, we strike fast and hard with emergency deployment teams. That way, we shrink their maneuvering space until they're completely eradicated."
> "And our air units will conduct routine bombing runs on suspected Na'vi hideouts within the jungle. It'll serve as both psychological and tactical pressure," he added.
Both sides had finalized their preparations. Within hours, a full-scale war would erupt.
Kenthelion descended to the primary ground base—designated Emperor's Glory. It was the nerve center of the entire military operation and the rally point for elite units guarding vital strategic zones. The base was a fortress of cutting-edge defenses, long-range communications, and an expansive surveillance network stretching across the continent.
Suddenly, a shocking message surged across the land—a transmission broadcasted by Kenthelion's spiritual power, echoing into every corner of Pandora. It reached even Jack's ears, just as he was preparing to strike from within the dense forest.
> "Jack! Traitor of humanity! Your wife and children are in my hands! If you have the courage, come and face me—at the very battlefield where we clashed earlier today!"
The words echoed like thunder through the silence, shaking the forest and its people to their core. Jack stood frozen for a moment, fury boiling beneath the surface.
> "Bastard!"
But there was no other choice. For the sake of his wife and children—for their lives—Jack had to accept the challenge. And he would face it alone.