Imperial Guard Tank Tactics- Are sponsons even worth it?

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**Terminus**

Timely indeed! An Eradicator? Why? Do you face only orks and other horde armies?

If not, 180 points is a LOT to pay for a tank that will do practically nothing at all against Space Marine opponents.

Hell, even against Orks I'd rather have the +2S so I can instakill their multiwounders and deny FNP.

**alarmingrick**

DarkTraveler777 wrote:This is a timely thread because I am about to build an Eradicator and I couldn't decide which sponson options to include on the tank (or if I should include sponsons at all).

My gut was telling me to have the Eradicator (160 points) with a hull mounted Heavy Bolter (free) and Heavy Bolter sponsons (20 points) which would potentially give me 9 Heavy Bolter shots and 1 cover ignoring Large Blast all at 36 inches.

Is this line of reasoning wrought with folly? 180 points seems like a decent price to pay for so much (potential) damage output. The arguments against sponsons are compelling, but my regular opponent and I typically have rather static battles after turn 2 or 3 so it is common for my tanks not move for a few turns and maximize their fire potential. I am definitely leaning towards the Eradicator with HB sponsons unless someone can point out how utterly silly that would be.

And as an aside, which has no bearing on the thread's topic, I think a Leman Russ looks better with sponsons on it. It is just one guy's opinion but the model does look more intimidating with those boxy protrusions thrusting out of its hull.

since you and your regular opponent tend to stay stationary, sponsons sound perfect. i'd strongly suggest magnetizing the weapons that go in the sponsons, if not the sponson. i've done it with the hull weapons as well. who knows what will be in or out in the next edition sometime in the future.

**-Nazdreg-**

Please do not add heavy bolters to a cover ignoring thing. It just encourages the enemy to allocate saveable wounds on to the important models...

And indeed an Eradicator is kinda weird specialised. Dont you think the Hellhound is better for this job?

**kenshin620**

-Nazdreg- wrote:Please do not add heavy bolters to a cover ignoring thing. It just encourages the enemy to allocate saveable wounds on to the important models...

And indeed an Eradicator is kinda weird specialised. Dont you think the Hellhound is better for this job?

Why not both? Still maybe switch eradicator with exterminator or hydras. makes transports pop easily

**Ailaros**

actually, an eradicator is basically a 180 point heavy flamer. Whoop dee doo.

And yeah, the tanks look better. Too bad that everything got a price hike, making it much less worth taking.

**Che-Vito**

Ailaros wrote:
Terminus wrote:A LRBT or even Executioner have adequate range to sit and fire... without them Russes don't have a lot of firepower compared to artillery.

Right. If it takes so many more points just to make it equal in firepower to artillery, then why not just buy artillery? Not only would you save a boatload of points, but you'd also get IF which hits side armor and situationally ignores cover.

That's the problem with russes. If you're looking for firepower, artillery is better. Instead, you're spending more points for less firepower in order to get AV14. AV14 should be used, and used aggressively, otherwise artillery is the better option. Aggressive use of AV14 usually precludes it from shooting very much.

I love putting my LR in cover, giving it the camo nets, and enjoying a 3+ cover save. Throwing out anything that a LR variant can throw out, with AV14 with a 3+ cover say is just pie.

**kenshin620**

Ailaros wrote:actually, an eradicator is basically a 180 point heavy flamer. Whoop dee doo.

And yeah, the tanks look better. Too bad that everything got a price hike, making it much less worth taking.

I thought it was 160? without sponsons

**Terminus**

It is. It's still a glorified heavy flamer, except way less accurate. A hellhound is far better for this sort of thing.