PLANETARY ASSAULT

行星突襲

After the Horus Heresy, measures were taken to contain the power of the Space Marine Legions, solemn decrees that would ensure no single individual could ever again command such might in isolation. As is well documented, the Legions, each numbering thousands of Space Marines, were divided down into smaller warhosts called Chapters; each of only a thousand warriors. What is perhaps of greater importance is that the Space Marines were divorced from the old Imperial military: the new Adeptus Astartes Chapters would no longer hold dominion over vast fleets of battleships or grand regiments of vassal soldiery. If they were to triumph among the stars and stand resolute against the darkness of the void, they would need to work within the Imperium, and as part of it. Since that time, Space Marines have been granted only such warships as are needed to patrol their system borders, and deliver them to battle. To this day, the primary function of their fleets has been to transport battle-ready forces of Space Marines into war.

在荷魯斯叛亂之后，帝國(guó)采取了手段以控制星際戰(zhàn)士軍團(tuán)的力量，嚴(yán)正的法令將確保沒有哪個(gè)個(gè)人能再次獨(dú)立指揮此等（強(qiáng)悍）力量。就像資料中詳細(xì)記錄的那樣，每支軍團(tuán)都由數(shù)以千計(jì)的星際戰(zhàn)士們組成，他們都被拆分成名為“戰(zhàn)團(tuán)”的更小規(guī)模戰(zhàn)群，每支戰(zhàn)團(tuán)都僅包含一千名星際戰(zhàn)士。但或許更為重要的一點(diǎn)，是星際戰(zhàn)士們被從過(guò)去的人類帝國(guó)軍隊(duì)中拆分出來(lái)：新的阿斯塔特戰(zhàn)團(tuán)們不再統(tǒng)御著戰(zhàn)列艦組成的龐大艦隊(duì)，也失去了附庸于其的（凡人）士兵們所組成的大軍。如果星際戰(zhàn)士們要在群星中奪取勝利，并堅(jiān)定對(duì)抗虛空中的黑暗，他們就需要在人類帝國(guó)（疆域）內(nèi)部行動(dòng)，并成為其一部分。從此之后，星際戰(zhàn)士們僅被授予巡邏其（封地）星系邊境所需，并將他們運(yùn)送到戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)所需的戰(zhàn)艦。時(shí)至今日，阿斯塔特艦隊(duì)的主要功能一直都是將做好戰(zhàn)斗準(zhǔn)備的星際戰(zhàn)士部隊(duì)送入戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)。

Though formidably armed and armoured, the battle barges of the Space Marines are no exception to this rule, and were designed first and foremost to facilitate full-scale planetary assaults. Each has enough hold space to accommodate three full companies of Space Marines, along with their vehicles and support elements. Indeed, the majority of a battle barge’s interior hull-space is given over to launch bays, muster decks and transport holds. Housed there are squadrons of Thunderhawk gunships, an array of intra-system craft, and dozens of drop pods. With such resources at its command, a battle barge can deploy almost all of its forces simultaneously, putting its entire complement of Space Marines on the front lines within minutes of reaching orbit. The speed and ease with which this is accomplished has caught many a foe off guard, allowing them little time to prepare before the angels of death bring fire and vengeance to their door.

盡管有著可畏的武器與裝甲，但星際戰(zhàn)士戰(zhàn)列母艦也并非例外，它們最首先且最重要的設(shè)計(jì)目的是便于進(jìn)行全面的行星突襲行動(dòng)。每艘戰(zhàn)列母艦的船艙空間都足以容納三個(gè)完整的星際戰(zhàn)士連隊(duì)，外加他們的載具和補(bǔ)給物資。事實(shí)上，戰(zhàn)列母艦內(nèi)部的絕大部分船體空間都是用作發(fā)射港、集結(jié)甲板和運(yùn)輸艙。其上能運(yùn)載數(shù)個(gè)中隊(duì)的雷鷹炮艇、大量的恒星系內(nèi)運(yùn)輸艇與數(shù)十架空投艙。憑借這些裝備，一艘戰(zhàn)列母艦?zāi)軐⒋系膸缀跛胁筷?duì)同時(shí)部署，在其抵達(dá)星球軌道的幾分鐘之內(nèi)，船上的所有星際戰(zhàn)士部隊(duì)就都能被送往前線。戰(zhàn)列母艦完成此種任務(wù)的速度與輕易程度讓很多敵人措手不及，在死亡天使將復(fù)仇烈火燒到其大門處之前，他們幾乎沒時(shí)間做好準(zhǔn)備。

Considering its size, a battle barge has little in the way of Space Marine crew. The warriors of the Adeptus Astartes are too rare and too valuable to be tasked with performing the myriad mechanical functions required to keep a warship at operational readiness. Instead, they act as officers, overseeing the ranks of servitors and Chapter serfs who carry out other, less critical duties; performing all of the menial and manual tasks unworthy of their Space Marine lords. Yet even these subordinates are too precious to be wasted in the gunnery decks. Loading and calibrating a starship’s weapons for firing is a perilous undertaking. Plasma wash, unscheduled detonations and residual radiation keep the attrition rates in these areas high. Those with enough luck and the fortitude to survive such daily toil are soon claimed by combat, beaten past their physical tolerance by a gang-master’s whip or obliterated by enemy fire targeted to rob a battle barge of its capacity to attack. With such high mortality rates, the crewing of the gun decks falls to an indentured underclass of slaves and vat-grown dregs. In this way, their worthless lives are given purpose, for even the lowliest may redeem themselves by giving their lives in service to the Emperor and the Imperium.

考慮到其尺寸，戰(zhàn)列母艦上的星際戰(zhàn)士船員少之又少。阿斯塔特修會(huì)的戰(zhàn)士們極其罕見且珍貴，不能讓他們?nèi)ミ\(yùn)行船上的無(wú)數(shù)機(jī)械功能——后者讓戰(zhàn)艦處于戰(zhàn)備狀態(tài)。相反，他們是作為軍官，監(jiān)督機(jī)仆和戰(zhàn)團(tuán)仆役去執(zhí)行其他次級(jí)職責(zé)——后者們從事那些不值得其星際戰(zhàn)士主子們?nèi)?zhí)行的卑微體力工作。但哪怕這些凡人下屬也是極其珍貴的，不能被浪費(fèi)在火炮甲板上。為星艦的武器開火進(jìn)行裝填和校準(zhǔn)，是一項(xiàng)危險(xiǎn)的勞作，電漿濺射、意外爆炸和殘余輻射令這些區(qū)域中的人員損耗率居高不下。就算是那些足夠幸運(yùn)且堅(jiān)毅，能在日常辛勞中存活下來(lái)的人們，也很快就會(huì)被戰(zhàn)火吞噬；他們要么是在勞工主管的鞭打下病累而亡，要么就是在敵人奪走戰(zhàn)列母艦進(jìn)攻能力的攻勢(shì)中，死于對(duì)方的炮火。由于火炮甲板上的死亡率奇高，這些區(qū)域中船員都是淪為契約奴隸的底層群體，以及用培養(yǎng)管生產(chǎn)出的劣等奴工。他們毫無(wú)意義的生命也由此被給予了目標(biāo)，因?yàn)榧幢闶亲畹唾v的人群，也能通過(guò)獻(xiàn)身于帝皇和帝國(guó)來(lái)贖罪。

Like the smaller strike cruisers, although they are each cast from the same STC templates, battle barges are not finished to a singular design. Their outer hulls and internal layout vary from Chapter to Chapter and even from one to another within a given Chapter. The Raven’s Claw, the oldest of the Raven Guard’s surviving battle barges, has none of the sensor towers or ostentatious sanctums that protrude from the spines of most battle?barges, and its profile is kept as small as possible. By contrast, the Ultramarines battle barge Macragge’s Honour is studded with towering edifices to the Emperor’s glory, and the prow of the Executioners’ battle barge Death’s Shroud is fashioned into a grim-set skull.

就像更小型的打擊巡洋艦?zāi)菢?，盡管戰(zhàn)列母艦們都是依據(jù)相同的STC模板鑄成，但其設(shè)計(jì)型號(hào)并不單一。戰(zhàn)列母艦的外側(cè)船體和內(nèi)部布局因戰(zhàn)團(tuán)而異，甚至單個(gè)戰(zhàn)團(tuán)內(nèi)部的艦船們也各不相同。在暗鴉守衛(wèi)現(xiàn)存最古老的戰(zhàn)列母艦“鴉爪”號(hào)上，便不存在傳感器高塔和浮夸的圣所——這些設(shè)施會(huì)突出于大部分戰(zhàn)列母艦的船脊上，而且它的輪廓也被建造得盡可能小。極限戰(zhàn)士的戰(zhàn)列母艦“馬庫(kù)拉格之耀”號(hào)則相反，其船身各處都布滿了彰顯帝皇榮光的高聳廣廈；至于處刑者戰(zhàn)團(tuán)的“死亡壽衣”號(hào)戰(zhàn)列母艦，更是將其艦首設(shè)計(jì)為了造型陰森的骷髏頭。

ARMOUR AND SHIELDS

裝甲與護(hù)盾

The magos-architects and master artificers who built the first battle barges knew full well the terrible storm of violence such a vessel would have to suffer. In order to deliver its payload of Space Marines and attack craft, a battle barge needs to enter a planet’s orbit, leaving itself open to attack from nearby ships and ground-based orbital defences. Depending on atmospheric and gravitational conditions, successful deployment may require the battle barge to enter a synchronous or low orbital hold, making it even more vulnerable to attack. To compound the problem, the sheer size of the vessel makes it easy to target, and its low engine power-to-mass ratio makes it unable to execute dynamic evades. With deployment complete, a battle barge is then expected to remain defiant in orbit, an immovable object acting as guardian over the Space Marine units below. In short, a battle barge will absorb more fire and weather more damage in a single mission than most warships are capable of withstanding over the course of their service. Fortunately, a battle barge is almost indestructible.

對(duì)于這樣一艘飛船要遭受何等惡劣艱難的環(huán)境，那些建造第一批戰(zhàn)列母艦的建筑賢者和工匠大師們一清二楚。為了投放船上承載的星際戰(zhàn)士和突擊艇，戰(zhàn)列母艦需要進(jìn)入星球的軌道，將自身直接暴露在附近艦船和地面軌道防御設(shè)施的進(jìn)攻面前?？紤]到（星球的）大氣和重力條件，為了進(jìn)行成功的部署，戰(zhàn)列母艦可能要進(jìn)入同步或低空軌道，這也令其更容易受到攻擊。雪上加霜的是，戰(zhàn)列母艦的龐大體積更令其易于被瞄準(zhǔn)，而且引擎較低的單位重量功率也使其無(wú)法進(jìn)行機(jī)動(dòng)規(guī)避。在完成部署任務(wù)后，戰(zhàn)列母艦會(huì)被要求留在軌道上待命，作為固定炮臺(tái)護(hù)衛(wèi)下方（地表上）的星際戰(zhàn)士部隊(duì)。簡(jiǎn)言之，戰(zhàn)列母艦在單次任務(wù)中會(huì)經(jīng)受的炮火與承受的傷害，便多于大部分戰(zhàn)艦在其全部服役過(guò)程中所遭受的。但幸運(yùn)的是，戰(zhàn)列母艦幾乎是堅(jiān)不可摧的。

Constructed with its unique role in mind, the battle barges’ skeletons were forged from a an ultra-dense alloy. The rare base mineral can only be mined from the sites of recent volcanic eruptions, and is further hardened by ballast compression tanks situated on high-gravity moons. The pressurised environment hardens the alloy, ensuring the superstructure is as solid as the doors protecting the Emperor’s throne room itself. These inner frameworks were then girded in kilometres of hardened plasteel and adamantium, and edged with thick ferrocrete buttresses that surround the main hull like a reinforced rib-cage. Finally, a second and ablative layer of armour was added to each vessel’s prow, forging an impenetrable figurehead for the indomitable fury of a battle barge.

考慮到其獨(dú)一無(wú)二的職能，戰(zhàn)列母艦的結(jié)構(gòu)框架由極度致密的合金鑄造而成。所需的稀有基本原料只能從最近經(jīng)歷過(guò)火山噴發(fā)的礦坑中開采，并被送到位于高重力衛(wèi)星上的壓載緊縮罐中進(jìn)一步硬化加工。這種加壓環(huán)境會(huì)提升合金硬度，確保飛船上層建筑結(jié)構(gòu)的堅(jiān)固程度，能與保護(hù)帝皇王座室的房門相同。之后，這具內(nèi)部框架會(huì)被硬化的塑鋼和精金包裹住，而且人們還要在主船體周圍的邊緣處修建厚重的鐵凝土護(hù)垛，形成一種宛如加固的胸部骨腔的結(jié)構(gòu)。最終，每艘戰(zhàn)列母艦的艦首還要添加第二層抗燒蝕裝甲，為這些戰(zhàn)艦的頑強(qiáng)狂怒鑄造一個(gè)不可穿透的艦首飾像。

Like all Warp-capable vessels, battle barges are protected by Geller fields, arcane devices that create a bubble of realspace around a ship as it passes through the tides of the Immaterium. Unlike Imperial Navy warships that are required to spend large portions of their deployment guarding a single system, and who are called upon to travel in the warp infrequently, battle barges are in constant motion, traveling from one war zone to the next without respite. Such frequent Warp travel puts these prized vessels at great risk, and as such they are frequently outfitted with two inter-connecting Geller fields. Should one fail, the other will continue to protect the battle barge from the Warp’s hostile environment and the foul entities that dwell there. Yet this extra precaution has not always proven enough. The denizens of that twisted realm are relentless and on at least one occasion have conspired to breach both fields simultaneously.

就像所有能夠穿越亞空間的飛船那樣，戰(zhàn)列母艦也受到蓋勒力場(chǎng)的保護(hù)——當(dāng)飛船穿越非物質(zhì)宇宙的波潮時(shí)，這件玄奧的裝置能在艦體周圍生成現(xiàn)實(shí)宇宙泡層。不同于帝國(guó)海軍飛船——它們大部分時(shí)候都在保護(hù)單個(gè)星系的，而且很少被命令進(jìn)行亞空間旅行，戰(zhàn)列母艦會(huì)不斷航行，毫無(wú)停歇地在戰(zhàn)區(qū)間穿越。頻繁的亞空間旅行讓這些飛船處于巨大的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)中，因此船上經(jīng)常被安裝著兩個(gè)相互連接的蓋勒力場(chǎng)。假如其中某具力場(chǎng)崩潰失靈，另一具就會(huì)繼續(xù)保護(hù)戰(zhàn)列母艦，令其免受亞空間敵意環(huán)境和寄居其中的丑惡實(shí)體的傷害。然而，這種額外的預(yù)防措施也被證明并非總是足夠的。扭曲領(lǐng)域的居民們冷酷無(wú)情，它們密謀同時(shí)破壞兩臺(tái)裝置的情況，發(fā)生過(guò)至少一次。

The Novamarines battle barge Liberator, for example, was found drifting near its last recorded entry point. A stricken hulk, the initial salvage crew found no signs of life aboard. A Grey Knights kill-team was dispatched to cleanse the ship, plunging into the madness that had enveloped it. Reports of the incident are sealed, but even though their helm-logs reported a mission time of seven hours, it was more than a hundred days before they emerged from the craft.

例如新星戰(zhàn)士的戰(zhàn)列母艦“解放者”號(hào)，該船被發(fā)現(xiàn)漂浮在其有記錄的最后一個(gè)（現(xiàn)實(shí)宇宙）入口附近。在登上了這艘受損的廢船后，最初的打撈救援隊(duì)并未發(fā)現(xiàn)生命跡象。一支灰騎士殺戮隊(duì)被派來(lái)凈化這艘飛船，他們直接沖入了籠罩著全艦的瘋狂中。關(guān)于這次事件的報(bào)告都被封存，不過(guò)，盡管灰騎士的頭盔日志表明任務(wù)時(shí)間為七小時(shí)，但當(dāng)他們離開飛船現(xiàn)身時(shí)，（現(xiàn)實(shí)中）已經(jīng)過(guò)去了一百多天。

In realspace, battle barges are protected by a group of layered void shields, wavering bands of energy that spark around the vessel to create a teardrop of invisible force. These energy barriers are capable of absorbing or deflecting the worst excesses of stellar radiation and meteor showers, and can sustain a succession of weapon hits and explosive impacts before overloading. Once overloaded, the shield generators must be power-cycled in order to let them vent off the excess energy. This is not a simple process – many slaves and Chapter serfs lose their lives in the resulting plasma fires and sparking energy discharge.

在現(xiàn)實(shí)宇宙中，戰(zhàn)列母艦由一組分層的虛空盾保護(hù)著，顫抖著的能量如火花般環(huán)繞在飛船周圍，產(chǎn)生一道不可見的淚珠狀力場(chǎng)。這種能量屏障能夠吸收或偏轉(zhuǎn)最嚴(yán)重的恒星輻射和流星雨，而且能在過(guò)載前承受連續(xù)的武器命中和爆炸沖擊。而一經(jīng)過(guò)載，護(hù)盾生成器就必須進(jìn)行能量循環(huán)，以釋放多余的能量。這并非是個(gè)簡(jiǎn)單的過(guò)程——由此產(chǎn)生的電漿火焰和能量放電，導(dǎo)致了很多奴隸和戰(zhàn)團(tuán)仆役的死亡。

The shields protecting a battle barge are, however, among the most sophisticated that the Emperor’s armies have at their disposal. Segmented into a series of zones, it is possible for an area of shield to fail without leaving the ship entirely exposed. Further to this, energy can be siphoned from one zone to another, and redirected to where there is the most need of protection. In dire circumstances the shields’ energy can be driven up past their normal maximum. This temporarily provides the battle barge with greater protection but soon burns out the generators, and renders the shields inert. Long is the list of bold Space Marine captains who, when faced with overwhelming odds, have used this tactic to close to attack distance, and claim victory from certain defeat.

不過(guò)，用于保護(hù)戰(zhàn)列母艦的虛空盾，是帝皇大軍手中最復(fù)雜的設(shè)備之一。護(hù)盾被分割為多個(gè)區(qū)域，有可能一個(gè)區(qū)域中的護(hù)盾失效，整艘船也不會(huì)完全失去防護(hù)。此外，能量可以從一個(gè)區(qū)域被虹吸到另一個(gè)，并重新傳輸?shù)阶钚枰Ｗo(hù)的地方。在危急時(shí)刻，護(hù)盾的能量值也能被過(guò)充到正常情況的最大值。這能暫時(shí)為戰(zhàn)斗母艦提供了更強(qiáng)的防護(hù)，但也很快就會(huì)燒毀生成器，并使護(hù)盾失效。面對(duì)壓倒性的劣勢(shì)時(shí)，很多大膽的星際戰(zhàn)士艦長(zhǎng)都使用過(guò)這種戰(zhàn)術(shù)，以縮短進(jìn)攻距離，在付出一定的失敗后取勝。

Though often severely damaged, some beyond repair, there are scant recorded reports of battle barges being destroyed outright. Perhaps this is just as well, for each Space Marine Chapter typically has only two or three of?them under its command. They are as much prized relics as warships, icons of strength and endurance that echo the might of the Space Marines, and the resources required to build them anew are difficult to come by. The loss of even a single one of these vessels would not only be a great blow to the military capabilities of a Chapter, but would also damage its morale, robbing it of part of its proud warrior history.

雖然戰(zhàn)列母艦經(jīng)常嚴(yán)重受損，某些甚至無(wú)法再被修復(fù)，但其遭到徹底摧毀的記錄卻很稀少?；蛟S這也無(wú)妨，因?yàn)槊總€(gè)星際戰(zhàn)士戰(zhàn)團(tuán)也都只掌握著兩三艘戰(zhàn)列母艦。這些戰(zhàn)艦也是珍貴的圣物，作為實(shí)力與耐力的象征，與星際戰(zhàn)士的力量相呼應(yīng)；重建它們所需的資源也很難獲取。對(duì)一個(gè)戰(zhàn)團(tuán)而言，哪怕只損失一艘戰(zhàn)列母艦，也不僅會(huì)重創(chuàng)其軍事能力，而且會(huì)將其引以為傲的戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)歷史奪去一部分，損傷士氣。

BRINGERS OF DESTRUCTION

降下毀滅者

The primary weapons of any battle barge are their dorsal-mounted bombardment cannons. Each cannon comprises a series of heavyweight batteries, huge turret-mounted linear accelerators that launch salvos of heavy magma bomb warheads. As the name suggests, bombardment cannons were primarily developed to bombard planets from high orbit, a task at which they excel. A battle barge will begin firing as soon as it reaches orbit and will continue to rain destruction down on a planet even as its complement of Space Marines is hurled downwards in their assault craft, clearing a path for their deployment on the ground. Capable of obliterating almost any manner of planetary defences, bombardment cannons will first be directed against missile silos and laser towers, ensuring that the Space Marine attack force can proceed unmolested, before being used to take out command bunkers and shield generators, aiding their swift domination of the planet. On more than one occasion, a single salvo fired into a dense population centre has ended the conflict before it has gathered any real momentum, shocking a world’s leaders into seeing the error of their ways and quickly swearing fealty to the Emperor once more.

戰(zhàn)列母艦的主武器是安裝于背部的轟擊炮。每門火炮都是由一系列的重型炮臺(tái)組成，這些安裝在炮塔上的巨大線性加速器能齊射重型巖漿炸彈。就像其名稱所表述的那樣，轟擊炮主要被用于從高空軌道轟炸星球（地表），而此種武器也擅長(zhǎng)于這項(xiàng)任務(wù)。一經(jīng)抵達(dá)星球軌道，戰(zhàn)列母艦就會(huì)開始射擊開炮，哪怕當(dāng)星際戰(zhàn)士們搭乘著突擊艇沖向地面上，它也仍會(huì)向（目標(biāo)）星球潑灑毀滅，為地面上的部署行動(dòng)清理出一條道路。由于其能夠摧毀近乎各種行星防御手段，轟擊炮會(huì)優(yōu)先攻擊導(dǎo)彈發(fā)射井和激光炮塔，確保星際戰(zhàn)士進(jìn)攻部隊(duì)能夠不受干擾地繼續(xù)行動(dòng)；之后轟擊炮將摧毀指揮部掩體和護(hù)盾發(fā)生器，幫助地面部隊(duì)快速攻占星球。不止一次，只消轟擊炮對(duì)于人口密集中心的一次齊射，沖突就會(huì)在聚集起任何真正的勢(shì)頭之前便被結(jié)束，目標(biāo)世界上的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人們會(huì)驚恐地意識(shí)到自己的錯(cuò)誤，并迅速地再次宣誓效忠于帝皇。

Thanks to their gene-modified constitution and advanced armour, Space Marines can wade through a blast zone untroubled by the radiation and toxic residue left behind by a bombardment cannon strike. When operating as a self-contained force, this allows them to receive close fire support from an orbiting battle barge. Using tight-focus marker beacons they are able to direct surgical bombardments to clear their advance or protect their flanks and rear from counterattack. When working as part of a combined Imperial Guard action, such measures are usually avoided – however, Captain Barras Varlock of the Iron Hands Chapter infamously ordered a close proximity strike at the battle of Yoyung Prime. He sought to expedite victory, allowing his forces to continue on to Secundus, and gave no thought to the disastrous consequences for the Gadan Ninth Regiment that fought in support of his warriors. In the aftermath of the conflict, the surviving Imperial Guardsmen quickly succumbed to radiation sickness and died within a matter of weeks.

得益于其接受過(guò)基因調(diào)整改造的體魄與先進(jìn)的動(dòng)力甲，星際戰(zhàn)士能夠不受轟擊炮炮擊后留下的輻射和有毒殘留物的妨害，從爆炸區(qū)中跋涉而過(guò)。當(dāng)星際戰(zhàn)士們作為一支獨(dú)立自給的部隊(duì)行動(dòng)時(shí)，軌道上的戰(zhàn)列母艦也能為其提供近距離火力支援。利用緊聚焦型標(biāo)記信標(biāo)，星際戰(zhàn)士能引導(dǎo)一次外科手術(shù)式的轟炸，以此清出前進(jìn)的道路，或者保護(hù)自己的側(cè)翼與后方，令其免遭敵人反攻。但當(dāng)他們與帝國(guó)衛(wèi)隊(duì)聯(lián)合行動(dòng)時(shí)，這些作戰(zhàn)手段通常會(huì)被禁止使用。然而在Yoyung主星之戰(zhàn)中，鋼鐵之手戰(zhàn)團(tuán)的連長(zhǎng)——巴拉斯 瓦爾洛克便臭名昭著地下令發(fā)動(dòng)近距離炮擊；他意圖加速取勝，讓自己的部隊(duì)繼續(xù)向Yoyung次星挺進(jìn)，但卻并未考慮此舉對(duì)Gadan第九陸軍團(tuán)的災(zāi)難性后果——后者們正在為支援鋼鐵之手們而奮戰(zhàn)。幸存下來(lái)的帝國(guó)衛(wèi)軍們也很快便患上了輻射病，并在幾周之內(nèi)死去。

In extreme circumstances, or when the enemy force is so well entrenched on a world that even a sustained assault will not break their hold on it, bombardment cannons can be used to sunder entire continents, smashing them from the face of a planet in a cacophony of violent explosions. Indeed, a concentrated, prolonged bombardment can crack tectonic plates, sending massive earthquakes and tsunamis of destruction rippling out across a globe.

在極端情況中，或者當(dāng)敵人在目標(biāo)世界上構(gòu)筑了嚴(yán)密的戰(zhàn)壕體系，哪怕持續(xù)進(jìn)攻也無(wú)法將其攻破時(shí)，轟擊炮也會(huì)被用于切開整塊大陸——在猛烈的爆炸聲中，陸塊將從行星表面被炸碎。事實(shí)上，長(zhǎng)時(shí)間且密集的轟炸會(huì)令構(gòu)造板塊斷裂，引發(fā)席卷全球的大規(guī)模地震與破壞性海嘯。

Battle barges are one of only a few Imperial warships capable of carrying Exterminatus-class weapons. So terrible are these devices, so irrevocable are their consequences, that their use must be sanctioned at the highest levels. Even a Chapter Master must be prepared to answer for his actions should he authorise the use of such extreme force.

戰(zhàn)列母艦也是極少數(shù)能攜帶滅絕令武器的帝國(guó)艦船之一。這些裝置極其恐怖，其造成的后果也極其不可更改，以至于使用此類武器必須得到來(lái)自（帝國(guó)政府）最高層的批準(zhǔn)。哪怕是一位星際戰(zhàn)士戰(zhàn)團(tuán)長(zhǎng)，倘若他授權(quán)動(dòng)用了此種極端力量，也必須做好為自己行為負(fù)責(zé)的準(zhǔn)備。

When a world is deemed beyond saving, when its populace has fallen too far from the Imperial fold, a battle barge will descend into low orbit and begin the task of Exterminatus. Spreads of virus bombs turn the planet’s landmass and organic matter into corrupted slurry which can be burned away by firestorm or lance beams. Yet sometimes, such a solution is not enough. Should a planet’s skies echo to the resounding laughter of Daemons, should it fall so far as to become a terrible temple for the Dark Gods, the Space Marines will bring about its complete destruction, ending the world once and for all. Retreating to the maximum range of its weapons, a battle barge will launch cyclonic warheads which burn to the planet’s core, blasting it apart from within and removing its imperfection from the Emperor’s blessed sight.

當(dāng)一個(gè)世界被認(rèn)定無(wú)法拯救，他的住民極為遠(yuǎn)離帝國(guó)的掌控時(shí)，戰(zhàn)列母艦就會(huì)下降到低空軌道，開始執(zhí)行滅絕令任務(wù)。病毒炸彈會(huì)將星球陸地和有機(jī)物一并化為腐爛的泥漿池，之后風(fēng)暴性烈火或光矛束便能將其點(diǎn)燃。但在某些情況中，這種解決手段都尚不足夠。倘若一顆星球的天空中回蕩起了惡魔的大笑聲，墮落成了黑暗諸神的恐怖神殿，星際戰(zhàn)士們便會(huì)將其完全摧毀，徹底終結(jié)那個(gè)世界。戰(zhàn)列母艦會(huì)撤退到武器的最遠(yuǎn)射程處，發(fā)射出能夠燒穿地表進(jìn)入星球地核的旋風(fēng)導(dǎo)彈；星球從內(nèi)部被炸開，其瑕疵會(huì)從帝皇的神圣雙目前被移除。

SHIP-TO-SHIP

艦對(duì)艦作戰(zhàn)

The Adeptus Astartes only engage enemy warships on favourable terms, if indeed at all. As has already been noted, battle barges were not built for naval engagements – they lack the long-ranged firepower of larger capital ships and the maneuverability of light cruisers. In void combat a battle barge will rely on its heavier armour to close with enemy ships and launch devastating boarding actions. As it closes, a battle barge can use the weapons batteries that stud much of its hull to rake the enemy with fire. Rank upon rank of plasma projectors, macro-laser cannons, missile racks and fusion beamers fire in diffuse salvos, a co-ordinated pattern of shots designed to strip a target’s shields and overwhelm its close-range defences. With its shields down, an enemy vessel is left open to a teleport assault. Few ships can survive such an attack, the swift wrath of a squad of Space Marines stalking their corridors and attacking critical systems. It is because of this that an enemy captain will do everything in his power to try and prevent a battle barge from drawing too near to his vessel.

如果確實(shí)有必要的話，阿斯塔特戰(zhàn)士也只會(huì)在最有利的情況下與敵方交戰(zhàn)。就像人們已經(jīng)注意到的那樣，戰(zhàn)列母艦并非為海戰(zhàn)而建造——它們?nèi)鄙俅笮椭髁ε灥倪h(yuǎn)程火力，也沒有輕型巡洋艦的機(jī)動(dòng)靈活性。在虛空戰(zhàn)斗中，戰(zhàn)列母艦會(huì)憑借自己厚重的裝甲（抵擋住炮火）來(lái)接近敵艦，發(fā)起毀滅性的跳幫行動(dòng)。在接近的同時(shí)，戰(zhàn)列母艦?zāi)芾帽椴加诖w各處的炮塔掃射敵人。一排又一排的電漿投射炮、巨型激光炮、導(dǎo)彈架和融合光束炮四處齊射，這種協(xié)調(diào)的射擊模式旨在剝?nèi)ツ繕?biāo)的護(hù)盾，并擊潰其近距離防御手段。隨著虛空盾被擊落，敵艦便抵御不了傳送突襲。一支星際戰(zhàn)士小隊(duì)發(fā)起迅速猛攻，從其走廊中潛行而過(guò)，進(jìn)攻船上關(guān)鍵系統(tǒng)，只有極少數(shù)艦船能在此類攻勢(shì)中幸存。因此，敵艦船長(zhǎng)們會(huì)用盡一切手段，阻止戰(zhàn)列母艦過(guò)于接近己方艦船。

If this form of close-range attack is untenable or proves ineffective, a battle barge can always fall back on its bombardment cannons. While their primary purpose is as orbital support weapons, they can be used to great effect against enemy warships. Though they lack the range of lance batteries and the fast reload times of standard ship-to-ship weapons, they more than make up for it in raw killing power. When magma shells impact upon another ship, they do not crash down through their hulls as they might with a planet’s surface. Instead, they break upon contact, erupting outwards, broiling over the surface of a vessel to strip away its plating and shred its battlements. The immense heat and shrapnel from the resultant explosion confuses automated defence turrets and sensors, allowing the Thunderhawk gunships and boarding torpedoes launched from the battle barge to close unharmed. A series of concurrent blasts is enough to knock an enemy ship off course, and a sustained assault from a bombardment cannon can cripple and blast apart even the largest of capital ships.

如果近距離進(jìn)攻無(wú)法被維持，或者被證明是無(wú)效的，戰(zhàn)列母艦也總是能夠依靠自己的轟擊炮。盡管此類武器主要被用作軌道支援武器，但也能用于重創(chuàng)敵軍戰(zhàn)艦。雖然缺少光矛的射程與標(biāo)準(zhǔn)型艦對(duì)艦武器的快速裝填（性能），但轟擊炮能依靠?jī)春返臍?lái)補(bǔ)足。當(dāng)熔巖蛋彈撞擊到其他飛船時(shí)，它們不會(huì)像砸中行星地表那樣撞穿艦體；相反，彈體一經(jīng)碰撞便會(huì)破裂，內(nèi)部裝藥會(huì)向外噴射而出，炙烤艦船表面以剝?nèi)ィㄑb甲）板層，并炸碎船身上的城垛。爆炸產(chǎn)生的巨大熱量和破片將令擾亂自動(dòng)防御炮塔和傳感器，讓戰(zhàn)列母艦發(fā)射出的雷鷹炮艇和跳幫魚雷得以無(wú)傷接近敵艦。一連串同時(shí)發(fā)生的爆炸足以令一艘敵艦偏離航線，而轟擊炮的持續(xù)攻擊甚至能夠癱瘓并炸裂最大型的主力艦。

SPACE-BORNE HOME

太空中的家園

Although most Space Marine Chapters have a fortress monastery housed on a moon or world, many do not. These Chapters have been forced into the void by war or cruel circumstance as space faring fleets. To these Chapters, battle barges play an even more important role, forming bastions that carry the Chapter’s legacy and a haven when pressed. Several Chapters are rumoured to possess even larger vessels adapted from the battle barge, or built by some other means.

盡管大多數(shù)星際戰(zhàn)士戰(zhàn)團(tuán)都擁有坐落于衛(wèi)星或行星上的要塞修道院，但有也很多戰(zhàn)團(tuán)并非如此。由于戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)或悲慘的境遇，這些戰(zhàn)團(tuán)被迫進(jìn)入虛空，成為遠(yuǎn)航星海的艦隊(duì)。對(duì)這些戰(zhàn)團(tuán)而言，戰(zhàn)列母艦還扮演著更為重要的角色——承載戰(zhàn)團(tuán)遺產(chǎn)的堡壘，并在形勢(shì)所迫時(shí)成為避難所。據(jù)傳，一些戰(zhàn)團(tuán)擁有更大型的船只——這些飛船是由從戰(zhàn)列母艦改造，或以其他手段建造的。

As of 999.M41, the following Chapters are known to be almost entirely fleet-based, though this record is doubtless incomplete: Imperial Fists, Black Templars, Executioners, Black Dragons, Invaders, Charnel Guard, Minotaurs, Fire Hawks, Lamenters, Mantis Warriors, Relictors, Scythes of the Emperor, Knights of Gryphonne.

等到999.M41, 已知下列戰(zhàn)團(tuán)為幾乎完全艦基，但毫無(wú)疑問，這份名單并不完整：帝國(guó)之拳、黑色圣堂、處刑者、黑龍、入侵者、墓葬守衛(wèi)、米諾陶、火鷹、慟哭者、螳螂勇士、遺物者、帝皇之鐮、獅鷲騎士。