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I have been wanting to build a squad of tankbustas. I have read here and else where how bad they are. They look like to much fun to pass up though. Is there any tactic that can make them viable? How about sending a small squad on a one way trip to take out a single piece of armor? Are the hammers a better option than the rockets?

They aint directly bad... but point effective and ellite slot are better used on say... Lootas or nobz(when not taken with warboss)

If i take tankbustas i use them in a looted wagon for fun cassual games but in abit more serious.. but still cassaul i use them in battlewagons w/ deffrollah in units of 10 w/ 2 rokkit hammers and 3 bomb squigs. my IG opoment hates these xD

T4 6+ 15pt models with no ride and no range and not even that much killing power outside of an assault vs vehicles.

Yeah, they suck. They won't make it to the piece of armour to kill it. And if they do, they won't kill it. And if they do, they'll die in the explosion, as they'll inevitably be in melee.

I've had sucksess with tankbustas vs tyranids. Instakilling venomtrophes and causing some wounds to mcs. They're really mc-bustas more than tank. I used a 10-strong squad with a nob [ha, pole] and 1 tankhammer + squig. 9 s8 shots mean average of 3 hits and around 2 unsaved wounds on mcs without too good cover or invul. Though regular shootaboyz will cause around 1 wound also. However, shootas can't hurt wraithknights so it might be helpful to cause some wounds before engaging those.
Tankbustas ain't really bad but they're definitely not good also. Though, it's easy to make a squad from rokkit boyz which you probably have plenty of. Go for it but don't expect them to work miracles. They're mediocre at best and need a transport. Preferably a wagon. But from tac and effectiveness pov u're better off with just regular boyz in a wagon.

Here's hoping the next codex fixes them - either looted rokkits (i.e. longer range), or transport options or something to get them to somewhere useful (e.g. some sort of infiltrate or deep strike?).

Or at least giving tankbustas a tank-hunter usr

They aren't that bad, they kind of work like assaulty lootaz. Due to them no longer having to shoot things they can't hit, you've got pretty decent MEQ killers at hand.
However, they are still 15 points per model, and die like boyz. If a wave serpent or riptide looks at them funny, they're gone.

Conceptually, they are a cool unit. Model wise, also awesome.

Theoretically, they sound like they should be good. A whole unit with STR 8, AP 3 Assault Weapons and extra anti-armor capability (Bomb squigs, Tankbusta bombs)? Wowsers!

In practice, their relatively short range, poor BS, slow speed, and fragility mean that they aren't all that effective. If you can find some way to transport them, they become a little more useful, if still kinda unimpressive for their cost.

On the other hand, paint up a unit and take them. Ork players should feel free to field stuff for sh***s & giggles. Maybe the next edition of the codex will change them and make them amazing (ammo runts? transports? tank hunter USR?).

Burna boys used to be okay, back when you could take 4 burnas in a squad, and got awesome when you could take all burnas. The same didn't happen for Tankbustas, since rokkits use the paltry ork BS, but I could easily see them tweaking the rules to make them amazing. How about Preferred Enemy: Vehicles?

I still think that rather than making you shoot at vehicles, you should write the rules for the unit so that you are rewarded for shooting at vehicles. More carrot, less stick.

I mean, I know there are plenty of Ork armies out there with huge squads of all shoota boys and maxed out lootas, but buy and paint what you like, too! It's still a game!

It's still 12 rokkits though (assuming two tank hammers and power klaw). Even with sucky ork BS, an average of four S8 AP3 wounds puts fear into a lot of units. Since vehicles aren't as prominent anymore, you'll find yourself shooting at regular infantry a lot more often.

If they'd drop to 9 points per model, they would be a great alternative to lootaz, no further buffs needed.

I've had moderate success using tankbustas in the following way.

1. 10 Bustas, 2 Hammers, 3 Squigs

2. Battlewagon (Ram, RPJ, 1 Big Shoota)

3. Mega Armored Warboss to take explosion wounds and provide more killy power

BS2 sucks - I won't lie about that; however, 8 Rokkits should connect 2-3 times and Bomb Squigs hit on a 2+ (and can be shoved out of any fire point on a non-open topped transport).

I pretty much let them go through and work on taking out tanks starting on a flank. I pair them with a squad Rokkit buggies for more anti-vehicle shots in hopes of clearing all vehicles out so the bustas can focus on other enemies.

The largest thing that I hated about bustas is that they always had to go towards a vehicle no matter the range. Thanks to the FAQ, they have to be in range of the vehicle before Glory Hogs kick in making them a bit more useful if you want to keep them outside of range.

I have not attempted to run more than 1 unit of them. Competing with Lootas just isn't good and I still prefer lootas over bustas; however, I know a number of MEQ players in my area that HATE my tank busta units because of all of the AP3.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Jidmah wrote:
It's still 12 rokkits though (assuming two tank hammers and power klaw). Even with sucky ork BS, an average of four S8 AP3 wounds puts fear into a lot of units. Since vehicles aren't as prominent anymore, you'll find yourself shooting at regular infantry a lot more often.

If they'd drop to 9 points per model, they would be a great alternative to lootaz, no further buffs needed.

If they were 9ppm, I would take a full squad of them in a heartbeat. Even 10 or maybe 12ppm would make me think the same way. They are better than the initial reputation I read about them with but that's only because of the Glory Hog FAQ.

A battlewagon full of tankbustas has decent firepower and unlike lootas they can move at cruising speed while firing at full BS. The downside is that you can't take mekboys in the unit to patch up the battlewagon.

I find tankbustas are worth when insta killing tyranid models and cracking MC.

I proxed them for a few games against blood angles with pretty good success. I took the 10/2 split between rockets and hammers and stuck them in a looted wagon sporting a rocket. They earned their points both games. The S8 against the S12 armor of his fliers turned out to be enough even taking snapshots. It really helped me deal with the two dreadnaughts with blood talons, which are normally an issue for the boyz in green.

All in all I am pleased with the performance and the fun they add to the game. After all who doesn't laugh when and ork comes up to a tank and starts beating on it with a rocket. I don't really like the models they have for these so I am going to just convert some boyz and a nob of my own. I don't get why they didn't give the nob the tank hammer. The extra attack is wasted when he is carrying a rocket like they have in the kit. I really want to use the bomb from the Dakkajet kit as the tank hammer. Now I just need to find some squigs.

My preference for tankbustas is
14 rokkit Boyz and one Rokkit Nob with pole + 3 bomb squigs for kicks..in a Battle Wagon,2BS,DR,Grot Rigger..15 rokkits ( yea only 4-6 hit on average but takes away a marine or Crisis suit save and insta death is always a plus..) ..in the Wagon they tend to make it to target ...When I do this I am also running 2 wagons of shoota boyz and one of Meganobz..backed up by two units of 9 or 15 lootas each depending on the points spread ..

Makinit wrote:
All in all I am pleased with the performance and the fun they add to the game. After all who doesn't laugh when and ork comes up to a tank and starts beating on it with a rocket. I don't really like the models they have for these so I am going to just convert some boyz and a nob of my own. I don't get why they didn't give the nob the tank hammer. The extra attack is wasted when he is carrying a rocket like they have in the kit.

The nob can have a PK though. I converted him to carry a glove made from the tiny missiles in the loota set, so he can punch a tank with rokkits.