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I realize it's only been a couple weeks, but has anyone had a chance to playtest the new Baal variant? I've got a couple coming in the mail, but I find myself waffling on loadout.

Option A) Flamestorm + flamer sponsons. On the upside, that's a whole lot of template lovin'. On the downside, I imagine that actually using all three templates will be exceedingly rare (I assume that the norm will be to *always* be moving more than 6").

Option B) Flamestorm, no sponsons, extra armor & HK missile. This build assumes that I will always be taking advantage of the fast movement, with extra armor as semi-insurance. The HK is there to pop a med/light vehicle, should there be no infantry to roast.

Option C) Flamestorm, no sponsons, HK missile. As above but 15 points cheaper, with the assumption that side/rear shots will likely just kill the Baal, rather than stun it. Fast, cheap, and roasty. HK to add a little versatility.

At the moment, I'm leaning towards B or C. I just don't think I'll have the opportunity to use the sponsons very often... and I'm loathe to drop 50 points on both tanks it it won't be used. The HK helps to mitigate the weapon destroyed result, too.

Thoughts?

Thoughts?

A HK missile doesn't do you much good for weapon destroyed. I'd be more concerned with immobilised damage results. It's not difficult to stay outside of flamer range once that thing isn't moving

I'd opt for Flamestorm with heavy bolter sponsons. If you are immobile, you can shoot the heavy bolters. If they weapon destroy your flamestorm, you can shoot the heavy bolters.

Taking it with no sponsons and just the flamestorm makes it very easy to take out of the fight. Destroyed, weapon or immobile all hurt it. By simply adding in those heavy bolters, you mitigate two of those results.

I don't play Blood Angels but have used Predators enuff times to know that staying back as far as you can so someone has a hard time exploiting your weak 11 side armour is the best way to use them. By replacing all or any of the weapons with a Template weapon is extremely counter-productive to that.

General_Chaos wrote:I don't play Blood Angels but have used Predators enuff times to know that staying back as far as you can so someone has a hard time exploiting your weak 11 side armour is the best way to use them. By replacing all or any of the weapons with a Template weapon is extremely counter-productive to that.

The Baal predator is an entirely different beast, as even with the assault cannon you're exposing significant amounts of side armor to the baddies. In this case your best defense is simply to try to kill all of the threats to the vehicle.

Personally I would just get out as cheap as possible since baal preds can scout you just start them at 12" scout move 18" then at the strat of your turn move 12" giving you 42" total drop that flame template on something tasty and get your points back all in one go everything after that is just a bonus. If your opponent is meched up you can combine it with a dread in a pod, dread drops in multi-meltas something, baal pred drives up and flames the contents. Just realize you are going to lose the pred so get out as cheap as you can while causing maximum damage.

Aftersong wrote:Personally I would just get out as cheap as possible... Just realize you are going to lose the pred so get out as cheap as you can while causing maximum damage.

That's been my thinking, as well. A buck-fifteen ain't so painful a sacrifice to make, if you can get that much or more back. With such light side/rear armor, 15 points for extra armor is hard to swallow. Ten points for a missile ain't bad, really, but a buck twenty-five starts is getting pretty far from disposable...

Yeah I opted for just the flamestorm cannon no side sponsons. The heavy bolters cost a lot and when you build a twin-linked assault/HB Baal it is 145 I think. Compare that to a dakka tank and it is really expensive. The Baal is such a unique tank that I want to utilize its unique weaponry. Also Aftersong is completly correct. You will loose the tank but thats only because it was designed to be played aggressively. Trust me you can do a lot of damage with this tank if you go after the right units and use the right tactics.

Without seeing the rest of your list (LOL), I'd go for C. Turn 1, move 12", fire HKM. Turn 2, move 12" and flame, or pop smoke and set up the flame for turn 3. I see the HKM less as a "weapon destroyed" contingency, but rather as a can opener against mechanized troop lists or part of an alpha strike against ranged anti-vehicle units. If the FC gets destroyed, it's still a fast tank-shock/ram vehicle, mobile cover, or objective contestor.

TBH I proxyed out a lot of options at FLGS. In the end I always did way more damage with the assualt cannon Baals outflanking. The flamestorm is taken out PDQ. (pretty damn quick).

I would probably try to run them like Immolators. Keep them cheap, take 2, and zoom up a flank spinning your front armor towards the enemy for extra protection. I wouldn't bother with flame sponsons, but HB might not be a bad move, especially if you are facing assault armies where you can sit back and fire HBs then use the flame cannon as counter charge protection. Still though, I would keep them cheap. Better to have one more tank than one less really kitted out tank.

I fooled around with the Baal with Asscannon and Heavy Flamers. Then went back to using Typhoon Speeders instead.