Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

It's pretty clear the Leman Russ is based on British WW1 tanks, just with a turret, and the Rhino is based on Little Willie, but what about the Baneblade? It's one of the least realistic 40k tanks, but it must be based on something. It has the sponsons of British WW1 tanks, the hull guns of inter-war and early WW2 tanks.
The hull of the tank seems to be similar to an usually tall modern tank.


The Baneblade and Hellhammer turret look a bit like a Panzer 4 turret without the indentions. I can't find anything closer.


And then what I'm not sure about is what the tank (titan) destroyer/siege varients are based on. They look most like an ISU-152 IMO, but the "turret" part is at the back like an Elefant or SU-76. I'd like to say it is based on a Jagdtiger, but it doesn't have the "turret" corners cut off like a Baneblade does.
Here are some likely contenders: a SU-76, SU-85, ISU-152, Elefant, Jagdpanther, and Jagdtiger in order.







Thoughts?

The baneblade is more akin to several tanks on top of each other. There is a bombard tank the british used, with a 120mm mortar for a gun (Demolisher), there is the M1A (Baneblade Cannon) and the body or "hull" is most akin to a Tiger I'd say, but I'll let some more knowledgeable folks tell me different.

The Baneblade's inspiration is more likely the WW2 Maus tank, except the Baneblade is a bit longer, more than twice as wide, and taller. The Baneblade clocks in at 315 tons while the Maus was 185. Their speeds were comparable with the Baneblade at 18-25kph while the Maus is 18-20kph.

Iracundus wrote:
The Baneblade's inspiration is more likely the WW2 Maus tank, except the Baneblade is a bit longer, more than twice as wide, and taller. The Baneblade clocks in at 315 tons while the Maus was 185. Their speeds were comparable with the Baneblade at 18-25kph while the Maus is 18-20kph.

I think you're right. Even the oversize coaxial gun is similar to a Baneblade's autocannon. But doing some more research (clicking another Wikipedia link), I think the Ratte is the better inspiration.
https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Stormhammer?file=Stormhammer1.jpg

The Ratte was going into landship territory. Its size and weight are both significantly more than a Baneblade, and it mounted a profusion of weaponry which is less consistent with the Baneblade. If you look at the scale of a human with a Baneblade, it is closer to that of a human next to the Maus.

I honestly think it is a love letter to all tanks, and a nonsensical collage of all the components the tread heads at GW most like.

The Baneblade reminds me of a Char 2C with a modern turret. Especially with the hull mounted cannon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Char_2C

The Chimera reminds me of a K-Wagen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-Wagen

nareik wrote:

I honestly think it is a love letter to all tanks, and a nonsensical collage of all the components the tread heads at GW most like.

This. There is no one direct inspiration.

The baneblade takes its inspiration from the silly tank designs of the interwar period (the engineers of that time must have been orks: it seems their goal was to put as much dakka as possible in a single vehicle).

If you look at the Japanese O-I, the Soviet T-35 and the French B1 for example, you can find most of the elements that are in the baneblade: multiple turrets, hull mounted cannon, machine guns everywhere (and rivets... lots and lots of rivets!)
The sponsons (as usual) come from the British heavy tanks of WWI.

I remember in the article telling you how to build a bane blade from paper in white dwarf way back when, it stated that it was based on a single real life tank. But didn’t say what. And sadly I know too little about real tanks to have ever worked it out.

Personally I've always wondered if it started out with someone converting a 1/35th scale T-60 *light* tank as that has basically the same overall shape including the off-sided turret.

http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/vehicles/T60-Russian-Tank/IMAGES/T-60-three-view.jpg

There is no equivalent to the Baneblade. WW1 multi turret tanks are jokes in comparison and way different in design. WW2 Ratte concept is way larger than a baneblade and also much different concept wise.
In terms fo shape, it doesnt share much similarities with anything in particular - especially not the current plastic model.
. Turrets are standard IG syle (6 sided, slightly angled, slightly similar to Kingtiger ), Rear is very slightly M48 ish, hull side profile is very slightly Merkava ish - but only very faintly. Everything else is incomparable. It has Maus styled turret armament, but size is way bigger - and the necessity of a coax weapon is universal - you'd be stupid not to have one if you can get fit it in.
Casemate versions are not comparable either - casemate tanks look like that not because of some design genius but because of necessity.

You dont need much inspiration to make a tank from scratch.... Tracks, hull profile, turret(s). You can find hundtreds of custom tank pictures online and they all look similar. There are only so many ways to make a sensible tank with certain attributes....

The Fellblade always reminds me of the T-55 because of its round turret but the normal Baneblade? I'd follow the other posters and say it's just a generic oversized tank with lots and lots of guns everywhere