In the year 829.M41 the armanian military command set up a program to begin replacing the ageing tanks they had in service on there world with newer smaller more versatile tanks.
Because of armanias position on the furthest edges of imperial space delivery of sanctioned stc designed imperial armour and aircraft was extremely limited, and those delivered were already damaged from previous engagements or missing many parts.
After a lengthy battle between 3 of the top vehicle designers and various designs of tank the Stymphalian was chosen to be the main tank of the armanian military.
However problems soon rose, the mk.1 prototype had an engine difficult to replicate, and its main gun was soon realised to be underpowered compared to other alternatives, after a lengthy redesigned by engineers the mk.2 rolled into full production, with a powerful simple engine used in industrial tractors and a new single shot breach loaded autocannon.
After several years of construction the mk.2 was finally tested in combat, it failed against an invading ork force on a nearby agri world, its armour was too thin, the engine too heavy and its gun too slow.
The mk.3 was soon produced, upping the frontal armour to match a chimera, the engine was remade in lighter materials, and the main gun replaced with a small cannon using modified missile frag and krak warheads, experimental airburst rounds were also created, but were too dangerous for use and phased out.
The mk.3 served many long years in the armanian guard, before being replaced entirely with proper sanctioned imperial vehicles, the Stymphalian now only exists in firing ranges as targets, in militia and PDF forces, and within the ranks of lower technology forces within the imperium and within the ranks of traitors.
(sorry for previous facebook links, they were temporary as I deal with the nightmare of mobile photobucket)
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn172/King_Tiger_101/tankthingy5.jpg?t=1351496176 http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn172/King_Tiger_101/tankthingy2.jpg?t=1351496167 http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn172/King_Tiger_101/tankthingy4.jpg?t=1351496174 http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn172/King_Tiger_101/tankthingy3.jpg?t=1351496173 http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn172/King_Tiger_101/tankthingy.jpg?t=1351496165