Crew: 9 (1 commander, 1 Coms Operator, 3 gunners, 2 Loaders, 1 tech adept, 1 driver)
Known Patterns/Subvarrients: I-V (A-E)
Armament:
Main Armament: Heavy Inferno Cannon, Hull mounted 203mm "Demolisher" Cannon (15-20 rounds)
Secondary Armament: Pintle mounted Storm Bolter or Heavy Stubber (1000-5000 rounds), 4 Sponson-Mounted Heavy Flamers, 2 hull-turret mounted Heavy Bolters (500 rounds each), 2 Sponson Mounted Lascannons (1000 shots each)
Mobility:
Max Speed: 25 km/h
Traverse: 360 degrees (Main turret), 180 degrees (Sponson turrets) and 6 degrees (hull turret)
Elevation: -5 to 25 degrees
Powerplant: MR507 V18 Multi-Fuel engine
Dimensions:
Weight: 316 Tonnes
Height: 6.3 metres
Width: 8.4 metres
Length: 13.5 metres
Ground clearance: 1.2 metres
Armour:
Superstructure: 200/200/200mm Faramite Alloy Plate
Hull: 200/200/200mm Faramite Alloy Plate
Gun Mantlet: 180mm Adamantium Plate
Turret: 220/220/220mm Faramite Alloy Plate
Lore: The Ecclesiarchy, the Imperial Church, has always sought to have its own paramilitary. The Imperial Administration has always tried to suppress such desires by banning them from having any armed men under their command. To the dismay of the wider Imperium, the church simply created the Sisters of Battle to comply with new restrictions. The Hellsword was created from a similar work-around of Imperial law.
The Hellsword was technically a creation for the Imperial Guard, but the Imperial guard in question were the Maccabian Janissaries. A fiercely religious Guard organisation, more loyal to the church and ensuring spiritual purity within the Imperium than to the Astra Militarum Supreme Command and the crushing of external threats. As such, despite not officially being part of the Ecclisarchy's arsenal, the church now has access to its own Super Heavy Regiments of Hellswords. A cause for great concern among more secular parts of the Imperium, and parts of the Inquisition that seek to keep the Imperium stable.
The Hellsword was originally intended to fill a similar role to the Doomsword as a counter to massed biological threats and heavy fortifications, but in a cleaner and more 'humane' way. As the Doomsword often caused catastrophic collateral damage, and dying of radiation poisoning was considered a hideous way for a human to die for most Imperials; so a cleaner weapon was requested for use in more valuable Guard regiments and for use on human rebels. The Ecclissarcy also desired the tank for its religious significance. Fire is seen as the Emperor's spirit made manifest, as it cleanses both the body and soul of those who turn from his light. Those unworthy of forgiveness being granted solace in the afterlife with a clean soul, while the truly worthy can survive his immolating embrace to rejoin the ranks of the faithful. To further hammer home this symbolic importance the Hellsword is often instead referred to as the 'Firesword', in reference to the Emperor's burning sword which he often carried with him into battle.
The Hellsword itself is fairly simple in design. It is effectively a standard Baneblade, but with its main weapon replaced with a massive flamethrower, fueled by 4 massive promethium tanks which jut out of the back of the turret, and secondary heavy flamers fueled by internal tanks positioned in the sponsons. The effect of such a vehicle on the battlefield is two-fold: the torrent of burning liquid promethium burns so violently and so brightly that any enemy is either quickly immolated or left stunned and incapacitated by the heat wave and lack of oxygen while simultaneously inspiring the highly religious Imperial loyalists to fight with increased zealotry and ferocity. It's not uncommon for a Firesword to be accompanied by several chain sword-wielding priests and confessors, leading a howling tide of men driven into a frenzy of religious fervour while the Super Heavy douses fortifications and the unfortunate unfaithful caught in the open in great fiery streams of promethium.
These 'repentance brigades' often have a devastating effect on the morale of rebels, as the Emperor's own fury is brought to bear on them, many choose instead to flee in terror or surrender than face the insane bruning retribution of the Imperial cult's most zealous followers.