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Exalbaru wrote:
Tri-las is too expensive.

140 points for 3 lascannon shots and AV 13? Seems legit to me.

I'm running two (might go to three) all Lascannon predators but then again alongside those all I have is a Dark Apostle and a ton of cultists. Yes the list was built to be murdered.

Biggest problem i've had with preds in the past is the side sponsons having poor LoS. But Preds can be nice. AV13 is a tough nut.

 Redcruisair wrote:

Exalbaru wrote:
Tri-las is too expensive.

140 points for 3 lascannon shots and AV 13? Seems legit to me.

i can buy alot for that 40 points, hell thats ten cultists. I rarely play any mech in my meta though so I would get it if I faced more but I maybe run up against 3 vehicles max in a game.

LValx wrote:
Biggest problem i've had with preds in the past is the side sponsons having poor LoS. But Preds can be nice. AV13 is a tough nut.

This is very true. One of the biggest drawbacks is the low hanging value of the sponsons.

This has historically been the advantage that riflemen dreads had over predators.

Obliterators any day for me. Field 3 squads of 2. Deepstrike two squads behind any tanks. If you take a gamble and deepstrike close then tl meltagun them or deepstrike safely and multimelt them. 2+armour save 5+inv. 2 wounds s5 with nurgle. No brainer really. Why would you over look them. Obliterators are a must have. Only downside is they are no longer fearless in 6th.

Predators historically have had the issue of either overpriced weapons and/or pillbox syndrome along with a relatively limited weapons loadout, while in 6th suffer the same thing all vehicles due which is tin-can syndrome where they're just too easy to kill (especially if anything gets close).

That said, with the new pricing in the CSM/DA books they're more sanely costed, but in many cases you'll get as much use from investing the same points in havocs.

6E has not been kind to vehicles overall, and there's a reason you don't see Predators too often.

 Sebbyp538 wrote:
Obliterators any day for me. Field 3 squads of 2. Deepstrike two squads behind any tanks. If you take a gamble and deepstrike close then tl meltagun them or deepstrike safely and multimelt them. 2+armour save 5+inv. 2 wounds s5 with nurgle. No brainer really. Why would you over look them. Obliterators are a must have. Only downside is they are no longer fearless in 6th.

I agree completely only i usually deep strike one squad and do a squad of three always when I take them. They are pretty amazing units, no clue why OP is opposed to them.

I figure that it depends on the amount of armour saturation, since the predator alone is very easy to single out.
With rhinos, helbrutes and drakes it could be a different situation.
With the rest of the codex taken into consideration, I also believe obliterators are a better choice.
I have never fielded them, though, as I've yet to start scratch building them and only the mutilators are worse looking.

Predators are like Vindicators, never take just one. The harder you spam them the harder it gets for your opponent to deal with them. Sadly you don't have access to the siege assault list which can field predator squadrons.

I highly disagree with the AC/LC evaluation. While the upgrade to the tri-las might look expensive, you need to consider the reason you are using a predator.

It's not there to take out Rhinos, it's there to take out AV12-14 (and maybe 2+). By not upgrading you are losing a bit more than a third of your potential firepower, as the AC is pretty useless against AV 13/2++. If you are looking for something to take out light tanks/infantry/MCs, you might as well get an autocannon Havoc Squad. I also tend to find that the twin linked thing helps, as you basically have an extra guaranteed hit. I particularly like to use it for snap shots, when I've had to relocate.

Other than that, I personally like running a Predator and a Vidinicator. It gives me a bit more versatility, and it tends to really throw opponents in a loop, as they have a harder time deciding which to go for. If they target the Pred and dont kill it, the Vinidicator zooms to their grill, forcing them to switch targets next turn, which is always good. Most people tend to go for the Vindicator first though, which is generally good news for me, as it's cheaper. I round it up with Obliterators or Autocannon Havocs depending on the points, for some extra versatility. Or even a Defiler, if I wanna go for AV saturation.

For CSM and DA, the tri-las predator is great. For BA, SW, and C:SM, its way too overpriced.

I'm getting ready to start my first 40k army and currently trying to figure out how to effectively spend my money, so I've been wondering this same question. This thread has been super helpful but I'm kinda wondering if there are any advantages of taking a couple preds over Obliterators, I like the pred model so much better, but I need to be efficient with what I buy to start with and not double up on things that accomplish the same goal on the table.

Predator has more lascannons per FOC slot and can shoot them each turn.

Nice advantage

Danny slag wrote:
I'm getting ready to start my first 40k army and currently trying to figure out how to effectively spend my money, so I've been wondering this same question. This thread has been super helpful but I'm kinda wondering if there are any advantages of taking a couple preds over Obliterators, I like the pred model so much better, but I need to be efficient with what I buy to start with and not double up on things that accomplish the same goal on the table.

Depends what you are looking for.

Flexibility? Oblitz all the time.

Deadly? Predators. Whichever combo that suits you and depends on what you are facing.

Like i said. I always run at least 3 of them. They have not let me down yet. But you need to becareful where to position them. AV13 is awesome but protecting them wouldnt hurt either.

Always blows up at least 2 enemy vehicle before they get into trouble.

How do Forge Fiends stack up to Predators, they seem a viable alternative. They don't get bs4 or av13, but they do get free daemonic possession, 5++, and it will not die.

The 2 Hades Auto Cannons seem comparable to a tri las pred for anti vehicle, and a bit better vs fliers since you've got 8 dice to get 6s. Both are obviously Fire Support Vehicles, and are similarly costed.

 akaean wrote:
How do Forge Fiends stack up to Predators, they seem a viable alternative. They don't get bs4 or av13, but they do get free daemonic possession, 5++, and it will not die.

The 2 Hades Auto Cannons seem comparable to a tri las pred for anti vehicle, and a bit better vs fliers since you've got 8 dice to get 6s. Both are obviously Fire Support Vehicles, and are similarly costed.

Forgefiend has its pro. But with BS 3, daemonic possession is not really going to help. And it will not die doesn't work most of the time. IMO.

Strength 8 is pretty good against flyer I have to admit. But forgefiend is just abit costly for me. But with AP4. That's a bit mehhh.

Predator would work better for me. With the str 9 ap2. It will take on ANYTHING.

But I like both the models. Depends on the situation.

Problem with preds is they have to be adapted for one roll, and there are other things in heavy support that do that role better. also they need cover and have to fire stationary to get the most out of their firepower.

however the advantage to them is they are so cheap!!!

forgefiends throw out far more dakka and will kill light Vehicles much better then a preadtor

against heavy vehicles vindicators, Defilers, maulerfeinds, and obliterators all do a better job than a preaditor.

The most annoying thing ive seen though is the preaditor vs havoc discussion. one of the greatest heavy support units ive use ran 1 pread and 1 havoc squad together with an ADL with icarus lascannon, havocs had 2 ML and 2 autocannons with the champ ridin the lascannon, pread was armed with lascannon sposons autocannon and a havoc launcher.

everything in 48" was completely destroyed, admittedly i was fighting orks but the effect was laughable havocs work well with preads as they can fill eachothers gaps

Forgefiend is a much better AA platform if that's what you need.
It will also land nearly twice the number of shots as a las predator on average (2.2 vs 4).

Makes for a better light armor buster or infantry killer.

Main drawback is the significant cost increase.

I need an opinnion on the preds now actually. I'm building a cultist based army. Aside from HQ choices there might not be a single power armor in the list and at this point the list is a themed list not to be used in a competitive play. Anyway as cultists don't have anything to deal with vehicles I am going to field 3 predators with them. One will be a tri-las one even though autocannons would fit into the theme better but what do you all think the other two should be equipped with?

your on dangerous turf here, preditors even when bristling with lascannons arn't the best dedicated tank hunters in the dex. maulerfeinds will happily open tanks for you.

if however your a pread head try HB sponsons, autocannon, combibolter, havoc launcher, and warpflame gargoyles for something that can make a mess of exposed infantry or light armor. all my preads are magnetised so i bring this one for use on orks, tyranids, blob guard, and necrons. it kills infantry better than a feind for way less points. run this alongside a maulerfeind who can run out and crack open the tanks laeving the pred to mop up the men inside.

and when i dont need a pread i slap on the doors and remove the turret for an instant rhino!!!

 gaovinni wrote:
I need an opinnion on the preds now actually. I'm building a cultist based army. Aside from HQ choices there might not be a single power armor in the list and at this point the list is a themed list not to be used in a competitive play. Anyway as cultists don't have anything to deal with vehicles I am going to field 3 predators with them. One will be a tri-las one even though autocannons would fit into the theme better but what do you all think the other two should be equipped with?

If you aren't bringing a lot of anti-tank from your other FOC slots, I'd be tempted to say all three Predators should be full lascannon. I'd take at least two full lascannons if they represent the majority of your heavy tank busting firepower.

One of the really nice things about Predators, from a hobbyist perspective, is that you can magnetize them, and use them for any varient of Predator, Rhino, Razorback, Whirlwind, even Vindicator.

That chassis is multi-purpose, and gives you much more value for your money than anything else GW puts out.

And yeah, AV13 in cover is a very tough nut. Opponent's can, and do, get lucky. More often than not, however, they will just waste a turn or two of shooting before moving on to something closer and easier to kill - and the whole time your Pred is just pew pew pewing.

I always run mine as AC/LAS, because it's cheaper, but I'm thinking of changing over. There have been a few games where a few TL LAS shots would have been great, instead of the AP4 AC.

140 pts for ~15 lascannon hits over the course of the game isn't a bad value.

Especially with everyone stacking AC/Plas the difference between AV12 and AV13 is frickin HUGE - going from 1/3 glances/pens to 1/6 glances..yes please.

Strongly agree that any new pred kit should be built magnetised - very little extra work for a whole lot more flexibility and money saving.