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I just recently purchase my first Leman Russ for my IG, but I am having trouble deciding which type to choose so I figured I would turn to dakka for some help deciding the best choice.

Every IG army needs at least one standard Battle Tank in my opinion. So that's where I'd start. Though if you know a thing or two about magnetizing, I'd magnetize all the weapons on the turret so you can swap out. But like I said, if not, go with the BT.

LRBT naked

Yeah I was leaning more toward a regular BT I know how to magnetize I just don't have any and I am also don't have the funds for it haha. Anyway thanks guys

Slapping on some sponsons makes it that much more versatile, and since it's your first one, you should be ok with the extra point cost.

DrGonzo wrote:I just recently purchased my first Leman Russ...

I assume you have bought the Battle Tank kit and thus your only option is the Battle Tank varient because the others suck. But fret not, my friend, for the Battle Cannon is a wonderful weapon indeed!

bmoleski wrote:... I'd magnetize all the weapons on the turret so you can swap out.

Magnets are a Hobbyist's best friend.

Peace Out!
Jonny!

I would do a vanilla LRBT for now, however I personally love Demolishers. In my 2000 lists I generally run 2-3. Recently I have been running 2 demolishers and a manticore.

As others have already said, magnetize all the options. They really are not all that much. Decent hobby shops will have them in stock.

If you really don't have the money right now I suggest just waiting until you do. You can always prep everything in the meanwhile by cleaning up all the mold lines etc. In the long run it adds alot of versatility and saves you money.

You need a pair of LRBT, IMHO, at some point.
and one option I've found is buying a second turret from a bits seller, ebay, etc.
I'm currently building 2 of the new kits as LRBT, with the Vanquisher bit, and a spare
Exterminator turret for each of the 2.

I'm not good at magnetizing more than a Sentinel's weapons personally.

The normal LRBT is by far the best imo, especially if its the only one in your army. Kit it out with a HB on the front (not lascannon). That way you can fire the battlecannon and hb at the same target since lascannons and battlecannons usually have different targets.

If you want side sponsons put heavy bolters on for the reasons mentioned above. Only put side sponsons on if you arnt planning on moving too much.


Honorable mentions go to the Demolisher and Executioner, though the executioner is really expensive (plasma tank) Give it plasma sponsons if you can.

The hull/sponson weapons can be left unglued and switched out to whatever you choose for each list you make.
I actually did magnetize my newer LRBT/Demolisher tanks. The way they fit it's not really needed.

I've used every tank variant, the only one's I cannot recommend for newer players are the Punisher, Vanquisher and Eradicator. All have very niche roles that are better filled by FA or other Hvy Support Slots for cost.

I love the Exterminator, Executioner, Demolisher and LRBT as main battle tanks if needed. I still load up my LRBT with Lascannons as an insurance policy to mitigate Weapon destroyed results.

Go with a regular LRBT

Then you gotta think about what kind of army you want to have....

I like to play with either two demolishers and one LRBT or go all out three demolishers or all out three LRBT

The other variants of leman russ are redundant and more expensive or dont do the job as well as these two variants

The thing a bout Demolishers I think minus the shorter distance is,
the closer you are near the enemy, the easier the enemy gets to shoot your back and side armor.

Because a LR hugging corners with battle cannon of 72" shot pretty much is as tough as a Land Raider

Generally I put the battle cannon and the las cannon. The sponsons aren't really worth it for me.

Can't overstate the obvious. Go with the basic LRBT and the hull lascannon. 165 points of goodness.

agreed

amight help if we know what kind of list you're running, as certain tanks work better for certain roles.

But if you got the vanilla kit, just make it a normal russ and you can't go wrong. They fit almost any list and really pack a punch. Plus, by running a vanilla russ, you'll figure out what you may need the most. Wish it had a stronger blast so you can get in close? Grab a demolisher. Play a ton of marines? Try an executioner (I believe thats the plasma one) with plasma sponsons.

Well I'm at the start of this army but I am planing on running mainly a mech list, and from the looks of it I'm going with a LRBT and get some bits off GW to make the other choices later on. Thanks for all the help guys.

So, it depends on what your army needs. From what I've seen, the two that are really worth taking are the plain old LRBT and the exterminator. They don't need sponsons, but they gain a lot from them, as a 3x HB loadout on either (but especially the exterminator) can put out some serious damage, for just 20 more points.

Probably my favorite loadout is either of these tanks with a hull lascannon and sponson bolters. With the big blast or the autocannons along with the heavy bolters, you've got good enough killing power against hordes, and with S8 ordnance, or lots of S7 and a lascannon, you threaten most vehicles.

Obviously there are still a few gaps in this coverage, but for a support unit, this setup on either of those tanks gives you a lot of options. The only problem is the cost, because 185 points buys you an awful lot elsewhere in the codex.

My personal favorites so far and almost always in my list is the demolisher with just a las cannon and a LRBT with a las cannon. The demolisher is a great threat asset and ties up alot of shooting since people fear it though mostly I like using it for the mobile cover for the 2 chimeras that are usually hiding behind him. Also the armor 11 on the back helps a tad. I've tried sponsons and so far not really liking them all that much on either varient.