Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Got a tournament coming up which doesn't allow Forgeworld units so I'm planning to field a Vindicare Assassin instead in my guard army instead. On paper they look awesome except the T4 which is a huge weakness on a lone character, so I'm looking to hear other player's thoughts and experiences regarding the current Vindicare Assassins?

Also any tips on how to field one would be awesome?

What about putting it in a bunker or bastion? Would give you a good LOS blocker for your artillery too and you could put a PCS squad on top or a heavy weapon team or a relay(if you are relying on aircraft comming in early).

Some tips:

Deploying this guy correctly is very important. Don't just deploy them regularly, use infiltrate to counter-deploy against your opponent. You still probably want to put him in your own deployment zone, near your table edge to take advantage of his range advantage. Make sure he's deployed in ruins, so that he gets a 3+ save. You can also put him in fortifications, which might give him better LOS of the battlefield. One thing you need to watch out for is S8+ weapons - they will instagib him, so try to stay out of range.

Beyond that, target selection is the name of the game. Prioritize things that are getting cover saves, since you ignore them. Use shield breaker rounds to strip wounds off of enemy ICs with powerful invul saves (SM characters with storm shields, for example). Use hellfire rounds to finish off models who only have a single wound left. Use turbo-penetrator rounds for almost everything else (you will do more wounds over time with turbo penetrator rounds vs hellfire rounds). The turbo-penetrator rounds is very powerful against MCs, vehicles and ICs - but it can be thwarted by invul saves, so prioritize targets that don't have those.

The Deadshot rule gives you precision shot, so abuse that to pick out enemy ICs or to kill sgts with special weapons (e.g., a powerklaw nob).

After a few turns when the enemy gets close, take advantage of the Exitus pistol to move and shoot - this will let you re-position without having to waste a turn of shooting.

Try to avoid close combat, as the Vindicare is not particularly good at it. Yes he has high WS, I and A, but he only has a CCW and so can't dish out much damage. Worse, he's fearless and so will fight to the death rather than being sensible and running away. There's sometimes not a lot you can do to avoid getting caught in close combat - at best, you can try to kite enemies with your exitus pistol, and hope they fail a charge into terrain. Remember that you also have defensive grenades, so your opponent won't be getting his charge bonus. Hopefully you will have killed enough by this point in the game that it doesn't matter if he gets tarpitted or dies.

Another thing: don't fret too much if your opponent focuses down and kills the Vindicare on turn 1. Sometimes you'll get unlucky and just fail three 3+ cover saves in a row and die. But often enough, your opponent will waste a whole bunch of shooting and strip off two wounds, ultimately failing to kill your Vindicare on turn 1... and then losing something valuable on the follow-up turn. When this happens, the vindicare has basically earned back it's points without having to do anything.

Just pointing out it'd be a 4+ LoS save rather than 2+, due to the No Escape rule.

If you are going to spend so many points on 3 T4 wounds, then I would certainly get a fortification of some kind to hide him in. The LoS increase is useful, as are the addition applications of the building. A bastion would be a fair place to put him imo.

Here's a question... Vindicare Vs Awakened C'tan what ammo do you fire?

Hellfire: 2+ to wound (not listed as poison or as a modifier to the sniper rule) so this is a stand alone rule.
Shield Breaker: 6+ to wound but no saves.
Turbo Penetrator: 6+ to wound with an inv save but chance to do 2 extra wounds.

I'm assuming you mean a trancendant ctan. I would use hellfire if it actually effects gargantuan creatures as the crams save isn't that great(4++ if memory serves), but if it doesn't then I would use the sheild breaker.

Tbh I wouldn't even bother shooting at a ctan.

It has a 4++ and a 5+++ meaning you do less than 0.4 wounds a turn on it.