Conquest
|
Khador Colossal | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| ||
| Weapons | Main Guns Turret Dual Secondary Batteries | |
| Height | 9.45m | |
| Weight | 100.8 tons | |
| Fuel load | 1428.82 kg | |
| Fuel usage | 6 hours general 45 mins combat | |
| Chassis designer | Khadoran Mechaniks Assembly | |
| Initial service date | 608 AR | |
History
In 608 AR, agents within Caspia of the Prikaz Chancellery discovers a massive project underway there that involves tremendous shifts in labourers. By the efforts of skilled patriots, a number of detailed schematics are secured and brought to Grand Vizier Simonyev Blaustavya, who discerns the impending birth of a new colossal — a grave threat to Khador. It takes little effort for Blaustavya and the High Kommand to convince Empress Ayn Vanar XI to meet the new danger with a colossal of their own. She decrees that not only would Khador field their own colossals, but the machines would be completed before Cygnar’s.[1]
Plans for the Conquest are laid out in weeks. Both Ayn and Blaustavya use their formidable presence and political clout to quash all potential opposition, transforming the cost and challenge of the project into a way for gaining favour and prestige. The Greylords Covenant, Khadoran Mechaniks Assembly, and numerous kayazy soon vie for recognition. Though all groups receive credit for the effort, the KMA is ultimately recognised as the primary architect of the Conquest due in large part to the political currency and vision of Simonyev Blaustavya.[1]
Given the difficult task of completing the colossal ahead of Cygnar, Blaustavya quickly arranges for its components to be fabricated in numerous factories across several major cities, particularly Ohk, Khardov, and Korsk. He also modifies the arcanum supernum cortex from Cygnaran schematics to account for Khador’s dearth of several vital rare minerals. This variant cortex is less sophisticated, but can be built quickly and more cheaply. The engineers and mechaniks tasked with designing the Conquest rise to the challenge of devising weapons powerful enough to be worthy of the colossal without requiring the same degree of cortex supervision. Ultimately, they looked to the massive guns of the Khadoran Navy’s ironhull warships.[1]
As work progresses, it becomes clear that the raw materials needed to build the Conquest will be a burden, but the leadership indulges no compromises. Many labourers die of exhaustion or in accidents brought on by fatigue, and hundreds of citizens freeze to death in Korsk and Khardov from the lack of coal.[1]
The first operational Conquest parades through Korsk weeks before the Cygnaran Stormwall debuts. With such a symbol of superiority, the Khadorans unleash the first Conquests upon those who would deny them their right.[1]
Properties
The Conquest's primary guns are designed to be fired in tandem, the recoil of one being used to reload the other, preventing the need for the cortex to regulate reloading. The main guns are supplemented by two sets of twin-linked cannons. Mounted on the colossal’s shoulders, these guns can lay down an impressive barrage with their high rate of fire.[1]
The Conquest advances slowly but inexorably, weighed down by impenetrable armour and boasting the firepower of a mobile artillery battery. The deafening roar of its steam engine is punctuated by the staggering percussion of its devastating guns, which unleash a punishing hail of shells able to reduce warjacks to slag and render the ground impassable. The tremendous amount of energy needed to operate a machine the size of the Conquest requires an equally impressive amount of coal and water, and often entire villages see their fuel supplies requisitioned by passing Khadoran forces.[1]
The Conquest is intended to serve as a framework for Khador’s future colossals, each with distinct weaponry and different roles on the battlefield. First among these colossals is the Victor, which first sees service a few months after the Conquest.[2]
