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Astra Militarum #1
Steel Tread
An Astra Militarum Novel
Follow in the footsteps of Hadeya Etsul as she is consolidated into a Cadian armoured regiment and put in command of a Leman Russ Demolisher, Steel Tread. Can she win the trust of her dysfunctional crew and pilot the tank to victory on a do-or-die campaign?
READ IT BECAUSE
Against the backdrop of an increasingly desperate conflict, tanker Hadeya Etsul finds herself consolidated into a Cadian regiment and placed in command of the Leman Russ Demolisher Steel Tread, where she must try and rally a dysfunctional crew together in order to survive a death-or-glory offensive.
THE STORY
On the war-torn world of Croatoas, the armies of the Astra Militarum do battle with the twisted servants of the Ruinous Powers. Against the backdrop of this increasingly desperate conflict, tanker Hadeya Etsul finds herself consolidated into a Cadian regiment, and placed in command of the Leman Russ Demolisher Steel Tread. Haunted by nightmares, surrounded by a dysfunctional crew, and striving to find her place amidst a proud and insular regiment with a culture so different from her own, Etsul must guide her crew to victory. But, as her regiment rolls out beneath the poisonous light of the Great Rift to join a death-or-glory offensive, the crew of Steel Tread are about to face the fight of their lives. If they cannot learn to work as one, how can they hope to survive?
Follow in the footsteps of Hadeya Etsul as she is consolidated into a Cadian armoured regiment and put in command of a Leman Russ Demolisher, Steel Tread. Can she win the trust of her dysfunctional crew and pilot the tank to victory on a do-or-die campaign?
READ IT BECAUSE
Against the backdrop of an increasingly desperate conflict, tanker Hadeya Etsul finds herself consolidated into a Cadian regiment and placed in command of the Leman Russ Demolisher Steel Tread, where she must try and rally a dysfunctional crew together in order to survive a death-or-glory offensive.
THE STORY
On the war-torn world of Croatoas, the armies of the Astra Militarum do battle with the twisted servants of the Ruinous Powers. Against the backdrop of this increasingly desperate conflict, tanker Hadeya Etsul finds herself consolidated into a Cadian regiment, and placed in command of the Leman Russ Demolisher Steel Tread. Haunted by nightmares, surrounded by a dysfunctional crew, and striving to find her place amidst a proud and insular regiment with a culture so different from her own, Etsul must guide her crew to victory. But, as her regiment rolls out beneath the poisonous light of the Great Rift to join a death-or-glory offensive, the crew of Steel Tread are about to face the fight of their lives. If they cannot learn to work as one, how can they hope to survive?
368 pages, Paperback
First published December 7, 2021
45 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Andy Clark
47 books49 followersAndy Clark is a background writer for Games Workshop.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Andy^^^^^Clark
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Andy^^^^^Clark
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
October 23, 2023
In a single read, Steel Tread has rocketed to the upper echelons of my must-read list of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.
A claustrophobic tale as much about the battles kicking off within the titular Steel Tread as without, Andy Clark's tale digs a trench far deeper into the souls of its characters than one might expect. Each character gets their time in the sun, revels in it, then lands the apex of their character arc with the type of pinpoint precision only a tank crew in the grim darkness of the far future can muster.
On the other, shootier, explodier side of things, Steel Tread pulls no punches. The action, which has a habit of slamming into you like a steam train, is visceral, expansive, and frankly just outright entertaining in precisely the ways any fan of tank-centric fictional violence would want.
Oh and while I'm on the subject of violence, there's ample amounts of body horror too, especially with a particular adversary to Steel Tread's band of ne'er-do-well characters who's ambulatory nature alone is enough to send shivers down even the staunchest horror fan's spine.
I came to Steel Tread expecting a riproaring 6 hour read of explosions, bodies popped like blisters and the sort of cheesy one liners 80s action screenwriters would high-five after sketching out. What I found (besides all the aforementioned stuff, of course) was a cast of people unique even in the untold trillions of citizens trying just as hard to battle the fears of fitting in, inadequacy and survivors guilt many of us in the world right now know all too well.
The author even managed to make me feel for a tank. Not the poor souls crammed into it, but the tank itself.
A claustrophobic tale as much about the battles kicking off within the titular Steel Tread as without, Andy Clark's tale digs a trench far deeper into the souls of its characters than one might expect. Each character gets their time in the sun, revels in it, then lands the apex of their character arc with the type of pinpoint precision only a tank crew in the grim darkness of the far future can muster.
On the other, shootier, explodier side of things, Steel Tread pulls no punches. The action, which has a habit of slamming into you like a steam train, is visceral, expansive, and frankly just outright entertaining in precisely the ways any fan of tank-centric fictional violence would want.
Oh and while I'm on the subject of violence, there's ample amounts of body horror too, especially with a particular adversary to Steel Tread's band of ne'er-do-well characters who's ambulatory nature alone is enough to send shivers down even the staunchest horror fan's spine.
I came to Steel Tread expecting a riproaring 6 hour read of explosions, bodies popped like blisters and the sort of cheesy one liners 80s action screenwriters would high-five after sketching out. What I found (besides all the aforementioned stuff, of course) was a cast of people unique even in the untold trillions of citizens trying just as hard to battle the fears of fitting in, inadequacy and survivors guilt many of us in the world right now know all too well.
The author even managed to make me feel for a tank. Not the poor souls crammed into it, but the tank itself.
August 23, 2025
An excellent novel. A classic tale of a leader who has to earn the respect of his crew, but solidly told with good characters and just the right amount of action.
A must-read in the Astra Militarum series.
A must-read in the Astra Militarum series.
November 16, 2022
Excellent story, excellent characters and unlike a lot of Warhammer novels it’s not hindered by the universe at all.
If you like the guard, or if you just like tanks in general you’ll like this book.
If you like the guard, or if you just like tanks in general you’ll like this book.
January 18, 2022
Absolutely loved the character arc and family story of the tankers. Little throwbacks to earlier in the book were expertly placed and generally a really well crafted story in the warhammer universe.
January 24, 2022
Absolutely banging 👌
Andy has you caring about the protagonist and involved in high-stakes, high-tension situations at both a personal and world-level from the first page.
He has crafted a story with interpersonal drama, action, pride, and belonging firmly at the core.
There are good scary bits (which I'd expect from Andy!) and lots of interesting stuff about integration and identity. Our protagonist is put through the mill and we're rooting for her every step of the way. I also really like how we get things from the perspective of others too, which makes this setting feel really well- rounded and nuanced, and the problems to be solved more complex and interesting.
My favourite thing has to be how Andy just keeps banging out really satisfying payoffs. You'll be reading this like YESSSSS ✊️
Also you will not be disappointed by the level of cool tank stuff. I love Steel Tread and you will too, because she is the BEST tank.
Oh and I LOVED the Tech Priest.
More of all of this please Andy!!
Andy has you caring about the protagonist and involved in high-stakes, high-tension situations at both a personal and world-level from the first page.
He has crafted a story with interpersonal drama, action, pride, and belonging firmly at the core.
There are good scary bits (which I'd expect from Andy!) and lots of interesting stuff about integration and identity. Our protagonist is put through the mill and we're rooting for her every step of the way. I also really like how we get things from the perspective of others too, which makes this setting feel really well- rounded and nuanced, and the problems to be solved more complex and interesting.
My favourite thing has to be how Andy just keeps banging out really satisfying payoffs. You'll be reading this like YESSSSS ✊️
Also you will not be disappointed by the level of cool tank stuff. I love Steel Tread and you will too, because she is the BEST tank.
Oh and I LOVED the Tech Priest.
More of all of this please Andy!!
September 1, 2023
I really enjoyed this! It's Warhammer, so there's plenty of harsh conditions and dystopian background, but there was also a surprising amount of heart. I loved the characters, and I loved following their journey from strangers to a real tested-in-battle united crew. I also loved the setting - most of this book takes place in or near Steel Tread, the crew's Leman Russ tank. There's a time and a place for sweeping epic tales, but the close quarters of the setting really help to immerse you in the story. I've only read a handful of 40k books so far, but as of now this one is my favorite!
January 2, 2023
Is not up there with the Eisenhorns and night lords stuff however you can do way worse by BL standards. An above average book and to be fair to the author making life under a Leman Russ interesting is not the easiest of tasks. The characters are compelling and there are some neat moments between them. Axtion scenes are alright leaning towards cliché but still enjoyable. All in all Andy Clark is a BL author to keep an eye out for.
September 7, 2025
A tank crew caught in the midst of a failing advance and regional military collapse take it upon themselves to strike a decapitation blow to ensure some success was found. A simple story with a simple execution. The characters are well-written and tested, twists and turns throughout leads to an enjoyable military novel
7/10
7/10
March 31, 2024
Great story loved the descriptions of locations and characters and enjoyed a more in depth look at some of the machine warfare that goes on in the setting.
September 23, 2022
Steel Tread is an action-packed pageturner about the tank crew of the titular tank Steel Tread. It describes life in the Astra Militarum and how normal humans deal with the horrors of war in 40k, but mainly the book is about character growth and how the characters (strive to) work together in an extremely high-stress environment. The plot moves forward at good speed and the characters are well-defined and developed.
The enemy in the book, a mass of mutated cultists surrounding a band of Slaaneshi astartes, are excellently described: the body horror and mutilations make for a perfectly fine gruesome enemy. They are never described in-depth, who they are or why they do what they do is unknown: everything is seen from the point of the loyal humans. The only thing that matters here is: destroy them.
The battle scenes are tense and exciting even though there is a ton of plot armour. The ending felt a bit weird and in the last chapter I lost some suspension of disbelief. I am not going to spoil the ending but the situation in the epilogue in my mind did not match what was written in the chapter before.
The core of Steel Thread are the characters: the individuals in the tank crew, how they behave towards each other and how they look at the world. The battle scenes are a background to this but make it so it’s never a boring read. Would recommend if you are interested in the Astra Militarum and how normal humans in a tank unit feel and experience the overwhelming horrors of a planetary war in 40k.
The enemy in the book, a mass of mutated cultists surrounding a band of Slaaneshi astartes, are excellently described: the body horror and mutilations make for a perfectly fine gruesome enemy. They are never described in-depth, who they are or why they do what they do is unknown: everything is seen from the point of the loyal humans. The only thing that matters here is: destroy them.
The battle scenes are tense and exciting even though there is a ton of plot armour. The ending felt a bit weird and in the last chapter I lost some suspension of disbelief. I am not going to spoil the ending but the situation in the epilogue in my mind did not match what was written in the chapter before.
The core of Steel Thread are the characters: the individuals in the tank crew, how they behave towards each other and how they look at the world. The battle scenes are a background to this but make it so it’s never a boring read. Would recommend if you are interested in the Astra Militarum and how normal humans in a tank unit feel and experience the overwhelming horrors of a planetary war in 40k.
February 1, 2022
Here's a quick summary of the plot (greatly inspired by the official summary):
On a war-torn world, tanker Hadeya Etsul finds herself consolidated into a Cadian regiment, and placed in command of the Leman Russ Demolisher Steel Tread. Haunted by nightmares, surrounded by a dysfunctional crew, and striving to find her place amidst a proud and insular regiment, Etsul must find a way to unite her crew before it is too late.
I'm always wary with Astra Militarum novels, as I'm a big fan of it, but, to me, most recent Astra Militarum novel focus on heroics too much, forgetting two paramount elements: the satirical aspect of the setting (which makes a novel like Honourbound forgetting about it basically an unintentional ode to militaristic fascist societies) and the humanity of the protagonists. They're not superhuman Space Marines who know no fear, but only humans, with hopes and flaws, trying to face and overcome the horrors of the galaxy.
That's why my favorite Astra Militarum novels are Fire Caste, 15 hours and Dead Men Walking. I love the mix of satire and the focus on human elements in them.
That being said, I was curious about Steel Tread for two reasons, the first being that I've never read an AM novel about a tank crew until now, and the second being that the summary seemed to focus on very human elements, such as the need for people from different cultures to work and understand each other, and make it work. That sounded like an interesting premise to me and I was curious to see what Andy Clark would make of it.
And... well, I had a lot of fun with this book and found it very good! Here are the things I liked about it:
* Andy Clark focuses a lot on the members of the crew, making them relatable, even though some of them are classic figures of such stories. But all of them had enough humanity that they felt like true characters, not just military tropes.
* The main character, Etsul, is interesting and appealing. We usually see the things from her perspective but, from time to time, we get another character's perspective, which works well.
* Incidentally, there were a lot of interesting female characters, which was nice to see, and I hope more AM novels will follow this path.
* The details about the life of the tank crew are a very nice touch, helping the reader to immerse and feel like you're in the tank with them.
* There were a lot of clever details, such as the fact that there's now a "Great Rift protocol" for AM when battles are taking places where the Great Rift can be seen. I think that's the first AM novel I read situated after the opening of the Great Rift that offers such an idea, which makes sense and is a cool one.
* The action was very intense at times, and alternated with moments of intimacy with the crew with a good pace.
* Without spoiling, at a point, there's a duel scene between the tank and... something... which was quite something to read.
About the negatives:
* The satirical elements were too few and far between for my taste, even if I enjoyed the main character often thinking "Such is life in the Astra Militarum", even when the job is basically a suicide mission.
* I would have liked Chaos not to be just an evil force, I enjoy it when Chaos characters are presented in a more nuanced way. However, let's be fair here, the Chaos characters are not the focus of the story at all, the focus is the tank crew, and the book does a great job with them.
All in all, I really enjoyed this novel and I would recommend it. Unlike some other BL novels, I think this novel works well even if it wasn't a BL novel, it's just an overall good book with a great balance between nice details (what life is like for a tank crew), well-written characters and great action scenes.
On a war-torn world, tanker Hadeya Etsul finds herself consolidated into a Cadian regiment, and placed in command of the Leman Russ Demolisher Steel Tread. Haunted by nightmares, surrounded by a dysfunctional crew, and striving to find her place amidst a proud and insular regiment, Etsul must find a way to unite her crew before it is too late.
I'm always wary with Astra Militarum novels, as I'm a big fan of it, but, to me, most recent Astra Militarum novel focus on heroics too much, forgetting two paramount elements: the satirical aspect of the setting (which makes a novel like Honourbound forgetting about it basically an unintentional ode to militaristic fascist societies) and the humanity of the protagonists. They're not superhuman Space Marines who know no fear, but only humans, with hopes and flaws, trying to face and overcome the horrors of the galaxy.
That's why my favorite Astra Militarum novels are Fire Caste, 15 hours and Dead Men Walking. I love the mix of satire and the focus on human elements in them.
That being said, I was curious about Steel Tread for two reasons, the first being that I've never read an AM novel about a tank crew until now, and the second being that the summary seemed to focus on very human elements, such as the need for people from different cultures to work and understand each other, and make it work. That sounded like an interesting premise to me and I was curious to see what Andy Clark would make of it.
And... well, I had a lot of fun with this book and found it very good! Here are the things I liked about it:
* Andy Clark focuses a lot on the members of the crew, making them relatable, even though some of them are classic figures of such stories. But all of them had enough humanity that they felt like true characters, not just military tropes.
* The main character, Etsul, is interesting and appealing. We usually see the things from her perspective but, from time to time, we get another character's perspective, which works well.
* Incidentally, there were a lot of interesting female characters, which was nice to see, and I hope more AM novels will follow this path.
* The details about the life of the tank crew are a very nice touch, helping the reader to immerse and feel like you're in the tank with them.
* There were a lot of clever details, such as the fact that there's now a "Great Rift protocol" for AM when battles are taking places where the Great Rift can be seen. I think that's the first AM novel I read situated after the opening of the Great Rift that offers such an idea, which makes sense and is a cool one.
* The action was very intense at times, and alternated with moments of intimacy with the crew with a good pace.
* Without spoiling, at a point, there's a duel scene between the tank and... something... which was quite something to read.
About the negatives:
* The satirical elements were too few and far between for my taste, even if I enjoyed the main character often thinking "Such is life in the Astra Militarum", even when the job is basically a suicide mission.
* I would have liked Chaos not to be just an evil force, I enjoy it when Chaos characters are presented in a more nuanced way. However, let's be fair here, the Chaos characters are not the focus of the story at all, the focus is the tank crew, and the book does a great job with them.
All in all, I really enjoyed this novel and I would recommend it. Unlike some other BL novels, I think this novel works well even if it wasn't a BL novel, it's just an overall good book with a great balance between nice details (what life is like for a tank crew), well-written characters and great action scenes.
June 8, 2025
This was my 8th Warhammer book. So far the Astra Militarum is my favorite faction but this was my least favorite book.
It wasn't bad by any means. I had a good time, it was "OK".
I really enjoy the stories of the little guys, the ones nobody know. I loved Fifteen Hours for instance. But here.. I don't know, I was expecting something better.
If you haven't read it, stop here. My review contains spoilers.
The tank felt alive and claustrophobic but I would have liked to feel even more immersed. Andy Clark could have given more place to the instruments, the interiors.. he did a great job at making it feel what it was like to be isolated from the outside, with reduced awareness/vision, but imo the opportunity was missed when it comes to describing the reliance on the tank. I don't know.. even when I play battlefield, all I have in mind is my pace, the recoil, the inaccuracy of the gun, the weight of the bullet... here? Sergeant shoots, sergeant hits. Give me a chapter on wind, make him sweat, make him miss, make him know the canon always hits slightly to the left, put a little unfortunate stone under the tank where it stopped so it's slightly slanted.. make it harder, more real.. using the tank should be stressful, not just because everyone wants to kill you outside, but also because everything you do, you don't do directly, you're fighting the tank and the environment also.
At the start of the book, we meet the protagonists. I was really excited about that. The commander is new, she meets a squad who clearly isn't thrilled to see her arrive. And then woot.. the book skips straight to the action. Another missed opportunity. It's OK though, there's plenty of occasions for them to argue later and for their relationship to evolve. There's one problem though. The main protagonist is too smooth. There's nothing wrong with her. Some of the staff in her crew are clearly cliché (one's racist until she impresses him...) but at least they've got traits and they feel interesting. Her? She's just good, nothing bad to report. By the end of the book I felt closer to them than I felt to her.
We get a happy ending at the end which suits the general tone of the book. She did great. She's still alive somehow. They love her. Team Hero is ready for another adventure. It's a good book, but even though it was in the middle of a gruesome battle, with limbs flying and people dying all over the place, it managed to feel too happy and innocent for me. I like it better when it ends badly, when people are complex, when nobody's great, and that's not what I got in this novel unfortunately.
I still enjoyed it, but yeah.. not my favorite book.
It wasn't bad by any means. I had a good time, it was "OK".
I really enjoy the stories of the little guys, the ones nobody know. I loved Fifteen Hours for instance. But here.. I don't know, I was expecting something better.
If you haven't read it, stop here. My review contains spoilers.
The tank felt alive and claustrophobic but I would have liked to feel even more immersed. Andy Clark could have given more place to the instruments, the interiors.. he did a great job at making it feel what it was like to be isolated from the outside, with reduced awareness/vision, but imo the opportunity was missed when it comes to describing the reliance on the tank. I don't know.. even when I play battlefield, all I have in mind is my pace, the recoil, the inaccuracy of the gun, the weight of the bullet... here? Sergeant shoots, sergeant hits. Give me a chapter on wind, make him sweat, make him miss, make him know the canon always hits slightly to the left, put a little unfortunate stone under the tank where it stopped so it's slightly slanted.. make it harder, more real.. using the tank should be stressful, not just because everyone wants to kill you outside, but also because everything you do, you don't do directly, you're fighting the tank and the environment also.
At the start of the book, we meet the protagonists. I was really excited about that. The commander is new, she meets a squad who clearly isn't thrilled to see her arrive. And then woot.. the book skips straight to the action. Another missed opportunity. It's OK though, there's plenty of occasions for them to argue later and for their relationship to evolve. There's one problem though. The main protagonist is too smooth. There's nothing wrong with her. Some of the staff in her crew are clearly cliché (one's racist until she impresses him...) but at least they've got traits and they feel interesting. Her? She's just good, nothing bad to report. By the end of the book I felt closer to them than I felt to her.
We get a happy ending at the end which suits the general tone of the book. She did great. She's still alive somehow. They love her. Team Hero is ready for another adventure. It's a good book, but even though it was in the middle of a gruesome battle, with limbs flying and people dying all over the place, it managed to feel too happy and innocent for me. I like it better when it ends badly, when people are complex, when nobody's great, and that's not what I got in this novel unfortunately.
I still enjoyed it, but yeah.. not my favorite book.
January 5, 2022
As a fan of Imperial Guard tanks and an even bigger fan of Imperial Guard tank novels I was counting down the days for the release of this since it was teased in a preview; the only reason I didn’t read it on the day of release was I was waiting for it to be available on Audible and I’m so glad that I did; the book more than lived up to my expectations but Remmie Miller’s performance reading it far exceeded even those. It is the little touches that elevate this- lots of planets might have a North, but it feels apt that Steel Tread’s Cadian crew come from there; the way that lines of dialogue delivered over the vox are slightly distorted (why haven’t other BL audiobooks done this? It’s *so* effective)- but with all due respect to the existing (excellent!) stable of readers they use, the bar has generally been raised.
Andy Clark has prior form in writing tank battles- those in Gate of Bones were perhaps my favourite parts of that book, and his Imperial Knight novels featured those and good dynamics between the knight pilots, but Steel Tread stands above both of those. I’m not sure that I’ll ever tire of reading about the impact that the Fall of Cadia had on tge planet’s soldiery, and this book does this so well. The crew of tread are really well fleshed out, and as the book progressed I felt increasingly attached to each of them. The book goes along much faster than a Demolisher and the plot is solid. The chaos antagonists aren’t really seen but Clark still convincingly conveys their degradation and how unsettling the Imperial forces find them.
I’m not sure if a sequel is strictly necessary, but I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
Andy Clark has prior form in writing tank battles- those in Gate of Bones were perhaps my favourite parts of that book, and his Imperial Knight novels featured those and good dynamics between the knight pilots, but Steel Tread stands above both of those. I’m not sure that I’ll ever tire of reading about the impact that the Fall of Cadia had on tge planet’s soldiery, and this book does this so well. The crew of tread are really well fleshed out, and as the book progressed I felt increasingly attached to each of them. The book goes along much faster than a Demolisher and the plot is solid. The chaos antagonists aren’t really seen but Clark still convincingly conveys their degradation and how unsettling the Imperial forces find them.
I’m not sure if a sequel is strictly necessary, but I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
October 17, 2022
Tank stories are a peculiar breed, they are rare, they are a relative new subgenre of war writing and they combine the grim tidings of war with cabin fever. I find it intriguing that every tank story I read or saw has this bickering crew trope (Fury, The beast of war and several graphic novels). Besides the internal conflict, the story expertly balances the feeling of raw power and distance that a tank crew experiences while in combat, combined with the moments of tense panicky action when a rival tank or anti tank weapon is spotted. Accompanied off course by concerns over the engine, ammunition and equipment. these are issues that came up with the other tank stories as well.
So if I had to give criticism it would be that steel tread is depended on name dropping, Cadia above all, to have it firmly rooted in the warhammer 40K universe. One could change a few things here and there and drop Cadia for the story to be set in other settings and lore without it feeling an ill fit. That is a minor criticism though and one could turn it on its head and say that it is great credit to the writer to make a warhammer story into something more universal; a story of a tank in foreign battleground facing internal strive at the worst of times. Good read.
So if I had to give criticism it would be that steel tread is depended on name dropping, Cadia above all, to have it firmly rooted in the warhammer 40K universe. One could change a few things here and there and drop Cadia for the story to be set in other settings and lore without it feeling an ill fit. That is a minor criticism though and one could turn it on its head and say that it is great credit to the writer to make a warhammer story into something more universal; a story of a tank in foreign battleground facing internal strive at the worst of times. Good read.
February 16, 2022
I’ve only recently discovered the Warhammer 40k novels and they are totally changing my life.
I would consider this book to be a great starting point for someone new to the universe, it’s a straightforward tank battle – a ragtag group of strong personalities are thrown together and have to work through their differences in order to survive and save the day. I boil it down to it’s simplest elements but this book is more than just that, the soldiers are all complex and well written characters and the way they interact with each other under pressure and after surviving terrible events is something really worth reading.
Nice, simple, filled with action, heart and cool mutants, robots and heretic armies. I never knew before this book how much I’d enjoy a good tank battle, not normally being of the pew-pew-kaboom persuasion but this series has really taught me a lot about myself.
Remmie Milner is a perfect match for this book and complements the main character, Hadeya Etsul, perfectly, she brings all the characters to life and keeps the suspense at a constant high. I was completely hooked from the very beginning!
I would consider this book to be a great starting point for someone new to the universe, it’s a straightforward tank battle – a ragtag group of strong personalities are thrown together and have to work through their differences in order to survive and save the day. I boil it down to it’s simplest elements but this book is more than just that, the soldiers are all complex and well written characters and the way they interact with each other under pressure and after surviving terrible events is something really worth reading.
Nice, simple, filled with action, heart and cool mutants, robots and heretic armies. I never knew before this book how much I’d enjoy a good tank battle, not normally being of the pew-pew-kaboom persuasion but this series has really taught me a lot about myself.
Remmie Milner is a perfect match for this book and complements the main character, Hadeya Etsul, perfectly, she brings all the characters to life and keeps the suspense at a constant high. I was completely hooked from the very beginning!
September 22, 2024
Good read, but lacks a good villian
The book is great, some of the crew has some development, but you don't get a whole lot considering the story focuses more on their situation. The downside is you never get to know who the main villain is as a character since no time is spent on him, his goals, and why the world is important. Good for a singular story, though I wish more time was spent on tank engagements like bane blade or shadow-sword. The bulk of the book is the crew trying to stay ahead of a fog that causes people to go crazy while trying to avoid a knight that is hunting them. Premise sounds epic, but there is only two confrontations between the tank and the knight that I feel could have been handled better as there is a dues ex machina and for some reason the navy, while present, doesn't do anything due to psyker shenanigans. It would be a plausible explanation, but you don't know how powerful the psyker is or why he is on the world so it feels like a weak excuse.
The book is great, some of the crew has some development, but you don't get a whole lot considering the story focuses more on their situation. The downside is you never get to know who the main villain is as a character since no time is spent on him, his goals, and why the world is important. Good for a singular story, though I wish more time was spent on tank engagements like bane blade or shadow-sword. The bulk of the book is the crew trying to stay ahead of a fog that causes people to go crazy while trying to avoid a knight that is hunting them. Premise sounds epic, but there is only two confrontations between the tank and the knight that I feel could have been handled better as there is a dues ex machina and for some reason the navy, while present, doesn't do anything due to psyker shenanigans. It would be a plausible explanation, but you don't know how powerful the psyker is or why he is on the world so it feels like a weak excuse.
January 22, 2022
From my limited understanding and experience with Imperial Guard/Warhammer 40k novels, I found this one of the be quite solid, although a theme I have seen in multiple forms (rag-tag, disfunctional group with new leadership having to fight to survive X situation). The difference being the setting of the Warhammer 40,000 universe of "GrimDark," and happens to be my preferred faction of Imperial Guard.
Overall, the details specified over the course of the novel from character development of the "cast", descriptions of the environment/scene and the notes of other larger parts (The Great Rift and the Fall of Cadia being two of them) of the 40k universe are spectacularly brought on in the standalone novel.
--The description of the renegade knight in the second act of the book will live on in my thoughts for a while, and I'm glad the details of the epilogue turned out as they did. I would love to see another novel about the Steel Tread Crew over the rest of the campaign on Croatoas.--
Overall, the details specified over the course of the novel from character development of the "cast", descriptions of the environment/scene and the notes of other larger parts (The Great Rift and the Fall of Cadia being two of them) of the 40k universe are spectacularly brought on in the standalone novel.
--The description of the renegade knight in the second act of the book will live on in my thoughts for a while, and I'm glad the details of the epilogue turned out as they did. I would love to see another novel about the Steel Tread Crew over the rest of the campaign on Croatoas.--
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2023
One of the best 40k books I've read. Picked it up because I really like tanks and the Astra Militarum, so I would have liked it regardless. But it turned out to actually just be a really good book on its own terms. Really gripping pacing that kept me reading, with a fantastic balance of (awesome) fight scenes and quieter moments. Interesting characters, with really well executed development arcs. Some pretty creepy Chaos stuff, and a scary antagonist. And no romance, which would have been really out of place in the context - but chemistry between characters that fulfils the same kind of role, and makes the relationships feel pretty realistic. I also really like that there's a very equal spread of female and male characters, and gender doesn't really play a role - everyone is just a soldier.
Tl;dr: loved it.
Tl;dr: loved it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2023
Some WH40k authors can be hit and miss. Is that a tank pun? Possibly. Let's see how this review tracks.
Andy Clark has a hit on his hands. He weaves an enjoyable and fun tale which gathers pace quickly. Tensions rises. The relentless machine of war demands sacrifice.
Heretic war machines are vivid. The enemy given just enough depth to be a visualisation.
However more of their motives would have been welcome. The main antagonist was clearly cunning. Give us insight, please.
Small gripe aside I really enjoyed this one. I looked forward to picking it up. Very recommended, and thanks to the lad in the WH shop for recommending it to me.
Andy Clark has a hit on his hands. He weaves an enjoyable and fun tale which gathers pace quickly. Tensions rises. The relentless machine of war demands sacrifice.
Heretic war machines are vivid. The enemy given just enough depth to be a visualisation.
However more of their motives would have been welcome. The main antagonist was clearly cunning. Give us insight, please.
Small gripe aside I really enjoyed this one. I looked forward to picking it up. Very recommended, and thanks to the lad in the WH shop for recommending it to me.
October 21, 2024
It was one of the first 40k books that I actually completed, and I was very satisfied with the way this was written. This novel shows how Hadeya Etsul was faced with needing to adapt to a new crew that she is now in command of after being the only survivor of her last crew, it shows how she handles resolving conflict that either she or the crew have with one another, and the duty she has to perform to keep herself and her crew safe through the harsh war environment on the planet Croatoas. This novel really had memorable characters, and the intense cinematic battles that embody a tank crew doing all they can to survive with what little unity they have.
January 6, 2022
Takes a while to get into it but once all the characters are introduced and set up in Act 1, Act 2 can really flourish and from there on the novel is a really gripping, character based story of a tank unit going against some frankly astounding odds.
Would highly recommend for people who like character driven 40k, with the downsides being that the descriptions of battles aren't always great and it takes a bit to get its tracks moving.
Would highly recommend for people who like character driven 40k, with the downsides being that the descriptions of battles aren't always great and it takes a bit to get its tracks moving.
May 27, 2024
I loved the first two thirds to three fourths of this book. Dysfunctional tank family outrunning and trying to outwit a terrible monster. It was gripping and entertaining, all of which is undercut by a dues ex machina which removes said threat and the last 100 pages plays out a fight against a “final boss” who we never interact with or see. I actually liked the book, but it’s one of those where the end just kind of soured the rest of it for me.
September 29, 2025
It's a truly amazing book. I could never have imagined such gritty realism in a 40k novel. Clark perfectly encapsulates the feelings and experiences of the crew. You can feel the anxiety as they fight to survive in the cramped confines of their tank. The world building brings a fresh feel to a world that can feel full of the same dull chaos cultists. Overall, it's probably my favorite 40k book outside if their bigger series. I can't wait for the sequel.
April 16, 2022
A really engaging book about a tank commander consolidated into an unfamiliar regiment in the middle of a war - gets going very quickly, and the characters all have their own distinct personalities that come across well.
In all, a really good book - especially for fans of 40K and Astra Militarum in general
In all, a really good book - especially for fans of 40K and Astra Militarum in general
September 10, 2022
I do enjoy a good Astra Millitarum novel. This one takes place sometime after the fall of Cadia on another world that the empire is attempting to maintain control of. It centers around a new tank commander who, upon losing all of her own crew, is forced to take command of a new crew made up of a mix of different veterans from different worlds.
Throughout the story the crew is faced with obstacle after obstacle and eventually grows to trust one another. After the first few chapters the story takes on the feeling of a nonstop slog through hostile territory. Just when you think they’ve made it it keeps going, and gets better. The ending/climactic battle is done in typical 40k fashion but it is still amazingly entertaining and well written.
If you have read any of Clark’s other writing this one is very similar, but still enjoyable in its own way. I haven’t read a 40k novel by him I haven’t enjoyed. He’s familiar with the source material and has experience writing about it. If you are a fan of his work this is no exception.
If you are someone who just enjoys stories about lowly imperial guardsmen thrown into the meat grind of war in the 40k universe this will scratch the itch. And if you just want an entertaining read about a group of soldiers overcoming impossible odds and forming a bond while they are at it, here you go.
Throughout the story the crew is faced with obstacle after obstacle and eventually grows to trust one another. After the first few chapters the story takes on the feeling of a nonstop slog through hostile territory. Just when you think they’ve made it it keeps going, and gets better. The ending/climactic battle is done in typical 40k fashion but it is still amazingly entertaining and well written.
If you have read any of Clark’s other writing this one is very similar, but still enjoyable in its own way. I haven’t read a 40k novel by him I haven’t enjoyed. He’s familiar with the source material and has experience writing about it. If you are a fan of his work this is no exception.
If you are someone who just enjoys stories about lowly imperial guardsmen thrown into the meat grind of war in the 40k universe this will scratch the itch. And if you just want an entertaining read about a group of soldiers overcoming impossible odds and forming a bond while they are at it, here you go.
September 6, 2022
Good and fun WH 40K read. Loved that they gave the spotlight to the Astra Militarum instead of the Space Marines. Good insight into the Cadian regiments and how they still remain after the Fall of Cadia, as well as how everyone feels about it. I also found the crew interactions to be realistic and genuine. I do wish for a sequel at some point.
October 2, 2022
I didn't quite feel the stakes here. The crew never seemed to be in mortal peril, and as predicted they get out pretty much unscathed, minus our protagonist. The chaos knight didn't inspire dread either. The final battle was well done and I enjoyed the interaction of the crew. It just seemed a little too bright for me, but maybe I'm just a miserable bastard.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2023
An enjoyable read and really enjoyed the detail with regards to the machine spirits of the Russ's. However it took me a good 70-80 pages to get my teeth into it properly. Charectors felt a little loose to start with but by the end I found myself hoping for another Steel Tread book, it does deserve a series!
July 10, 2024
A tank commander must come to grips with the loss of her past crew, as well as meet and learn to lead her new crew in another battle raging for the preservation of the imperium of man. There's lots of action, you get a sense of dread when reading about the chaos followers. There's an epic battle at the end between the tank commander, her crew and the forces of chaos. Solid read, very enjoyable.
March 23, 2025
When I picked this up I thought it would be (too) similar to Baneblade. However, it was a fresh take. Basically Fury the movie in 40K. The crew is dysfunctional but a lovely bunch of interesting characters. Like I'm Baneblade I loved the life inside the tank which here comes across better than in Baneblade I think. Liked it a lot.
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