A Dreadnought is a cybernetic combat walker of intermediate size used by the Imperium of Man as heavy infantry support for their Space Marine companies. Even the superhuman Space Marines are still mortal and can fall in battle despite legends to the contrary amongst the common people of the Imperium of Man. When the greatest of the Astartes are crippled in combat the Battle-Brother's body will be repaired and transferred into an armoured cybernetic sarcophagus outfitted with extensive life support systems. This sarcophagus is then interred within the heart of the armoured body of a Dreadnought if there is even a spark of life left. The Space Marine within the sarcophagus will control the robotic body of the walker and experience the outside world through a web of cyborganic neural links and sensors implanted within his life support systems. Dreadnoughts are often mistaken by mortal observers for huge suits of battle armour or robots; they are similar to both and yet neither. Dreadnoughts are a combination of armoured walker and cybernetic life-support system; their pilots are neurally linked straight into the Dreadnought's cybernetic systems, and are able to use the walker as if it were their own body, although they are permanently entombed within its Ceramite skin until they are destroyed.