The Sokar Pattern Stormbird was developed from the various Warhawk and Nephoros-class Stormbird assault transports utilised by the Yndonesic Bloc during the Unification Wars on Terra, and were later adapted by the Emperor for His early Space Marine Legions. The Sokar Pattern itself was one of the later patterns of Imperial spacecraft developed during the Great Crusade and was used as the design precursor to the smaller, more widely produced Thunderhawk Gunship. It was conceived as a specialised, high-durability orbital assault craft -- almost a mobile bastion and firebase -- which could land a Space Marine strike force and withstand heavy ground fire while its passengers forced a landing zone.