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I've decided to buy a predator for my Crimson Fist army, but was wondering about weapon load-out. I'm leaning towards going with a Twin-Linked Lascannon and Heavy Bolter Sponsons and a Stormbolter. This feels like to most rounded load out because it can handle infantry mobs and hard targets as well. Also the SB gives me an option for a defensive weapon for when I have to move. Any thoughts?

That all, of course, depends on your opponent. If your opponent runs alot of low AV transport the autocannon might be a better option. If you're looking to take all comers, the setup you mentioned might be best. I also find that they work best in pairs, but that's just a personal preference.

Ive been running a AC with LC sponsons on my predators for a few years now, and have had very good luck with them.
It gives me 4 high strength shots, which I can use against vehicles or troops. The only complaint I have is that the sponons sit very low and so its easy to have their LOS blocked.

How you equip yours really depends on the following.
* How do you plan on using them? What is their role?
* Do you have other units that can do the same role?
* Is there anything that can fit that better fits your playstyle.

either use Dakka Preds AC with HB spons for AV11 and Troops

or Take the AC with LC spons for transport killing goodness

The way I see it, you either have all lascannon OR dakka pred loadout, because lascannons have superior range and should sit where they are, so having one lascannon and heavy bolters is kind of useless because anything you shoot at with your lascannon ill render heavy bolters inneffectual and vice versa.

Auto/Las is the way to go. Trading an Autocannon for a TL-Lascannon isn't worth 45 points.

IIRC the TL lascannon and heavy bolter sponson is a leftover from previous editions where S5 weaponry were considered defensive.

These days it makes no sense to equip a predator that way.

AC/las is my favourite. It boasts high reliability for dealing with AV targets and MCs.

AC turret and Las sponsons, or bare pred with only an AC turret.

I ran the first one and am not impressed, will see how the 2nd one fares.

I would say, tool-up the tank for one purpose. Afterall, you only fire against one target per turn so you are never going to be fully effective in combat with your pred. I would personally go for Autocannon, HB sponsons and a stormbolter and let some of my other units handle the enemy armour. Of course, the Autocannon could put some holes in light tanks too and if you are fighting something like Eldar, even HB can chew up vehicles.

labmouse42 wrote:Ive been running a AC with LC sponsons on my predators for a few years now, and have had very good luck with them.
It gives me 4 high strength shots, which I can use against vehicles or troops. The only complaint I have is that the sponons sit very low and so its easy to have their LOS blocked.

How you equip yours really depends on the following.
* How do you plan on using them? What is their role?
* Do you have other units that can do the same role?
* Is there anything that can fit that better fits your playstyle.

+1! The Autolas pred is an awesome little purchase, and agree with the complaint of the sponsons sitting low. But biggest downside it has is horde/GEQ's- transports and MC's is what its built for, and MEQ's dont like 4 shots wounding on 2+, 2 of which ignore their armour. But GEQ's... then again everyone in your army has a bolter for a reason

MrEconomics wrote:Auto/Las is the way to go. Trading an Autocannon for a TL-Lascannon isn't worth 45 points.

Mr Economics is right about the economic value of this purchase

Dracos wrote:
AC/las is my favourite. It boasts high reliability for dealing with AV targets and MCs.

It really is the way to go

Magnetize it and play around with the load out.

The Autocannon Turret and Lascannon Sponsons are easily the best IMHO.
It's packing a very good range to keep you out of harms way, the RoF and high strength shots are perfect for taking out enemy armour, particularly light-to-medium tanks and heavy infantry such as Warriors, Termies etc. At a push it can even be used to combat Heavy Tanks (Russes, Monoliths, Land Raiders) or infantry.
All this for only 120pts is a great purchase and adds armour saturation too.

I'd rate the 'Dakka' Variant, with an Autocannon Turret and Heavy Bolter sponsons the 2nd best.
It's got a very impressive RoF and is an absolute bargain; it should mow through hordes and infantry with ease, whilst it's weapons can also be turned against light tanks and skimmers if pushed. The real appeal of this one is it's low cost and high RoF.


A Lascannon Turret and Heavy Bolter sponsons is more expensive than auto-las and less specialised. A single lascannon isn't impressive, whilst it will also do little to the hordes which Heavy Bolters specialise against. Conversely, the Bolters do little against tanks which the lascannon is best against. Therefore, this tank will do neither anti-armour nor anti-infantry particularly well, whist being more expensive than auto-las. Whichever target you fire at, you'd be wasting half your firepower IMHO.

Whilst the all-Lascannon tank is a great tank-hunter, it's very expensive and ultimately:

MrEconomics wrote:Auto/Las is the way to go. Trading an Autocannon for a TL-Lascannon isn't worth 45 points.

The nice thing about the 'dakka' variant is how cheap it is for how many shots it can toss out. The role of that vehicle is to twofold
* Snipe medium toughness targets and make them take lots of saves. (lash prince, IC not in a squad, etc)
* Shoot at horde from long range

In most cases, the first role can be completed by a AC/LC pread.
The second role is not one marines really are hurting in. Bolter shots are not the area where marines are hurting.

Thats why I reccomend the AC/LC pread.

I think the real problem is in the basic rules. There is no reason why a tank with multiple weapons should be limited to shoot just one target. In WW2, tanks were given 2 or 3 machineguns in addition to the main armament, so that they could be effective and efficient against infantry. GW copied the idea, e.g. with HB hull and HB sponsons in LRBT, as well as pintle-mounted weapons (SB, HS, TL B). But the basic rules screw it all up.

The counter-argument is that in the confusion of battle, it may be difficult to designate targets. But, in reality, the HB gunners will never be shooting AV they know they cannot touch, while the main-gunner will not use AT rounds on infantry. And besides, they had intercom systems in the tanks even quite early in WW2.

Rules being what they are, I'd take only two variants:
- AT: TLLC turret, LC sponsons
- anti-personnel, anti-light vehicle: AC turret, HB sponsons

You are already paying for the tank - might just as well buy the sponsons.

If more versatility is desired, it can be gained by mixing the predator variants within the army while keeping each tank specialized. For example, why not take 2x AC-HB and 1x TLLC-LC ? That way, you have a ton of firepower against light vehicles and MC, but also can be effective against heavier armor. Since each tank picks his own target, there is no loss of efficiency.

This is all really good advice!

I'm really lean towards the AC/LC set up. it seems to be the most versatile and cost effective. the reason I don't just do a dakka pred and a las pred is just cash. I've only got enough for one. I like the idea of magnets but don't know how to go about it or where to get them.

I need the lascannons because I need something to deal with heavier armor. the strongest thing I have is S8 MLs and one MM on my dread. so range and power are a must.

My plan is to have one Pred and two Vindicators for my heavy support.

Magnetiseing your pred aint hard. There are multiple threadsvregarding this in the tutorials section. The magnets thmeselves are pretty cheap too. You can get a huge pack for cheap on ebay and all you need then is a bit of time and a drill. Lol. Definitly mag your pred. And if your real tricksy you can mag a rhino to be a pred lol. Just buy a rhiko and hit up a bits supplier for your pred bits