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Preface: I only have the primer rules, so if there are specific vehicle rules applying her, forgive me.

Ok trying to avoid some numbers from index here. the vanquisher cannon costs more than the battle cannon. it has an identical strength and range. Let us shoot a same Toughness vehicle (like itself). It hits 50%, damages 50% and does an average of 4.47 wounds (that is the average of rolling 2 d6 and taking highest. A battle cannon has same hit and wound probability, but fires 3.5 times (average shots again) and does 1.5 wounds per shot. the math, Vanquisher 1x.5x.5x4.47=1.117 wounds per turn to itself. Battle cannon. 3.5x.5x.5.x1.5=1.31. Ummm, think I am taking the battle cannon?
Someone find where my mathhammer is wrong, since it isn't something I always do. Or at least argue the benefits of the vanquisher? Remember, I am paying more for the weapon with less damage average AND potential (that battle cannon could do 18 wounds in one turn...

Oops I forgot to mention Vanquisher's 1 better armor modifier. does that make up for it?

You're missing saves (the Vanquisher has better AP) and you've underestimated the damage off the battle cannon (the average of 1d3 is actually 2, not 1.5 (counterintuitive, I know, but write it out and you'll see it)), but you're basically correct. The Vanquisher is a straight downgrade over the battle cannon at the moment.

Here's hoping it's improved when the Codex comes out.

Duh!!! good point on the battle cannon damage. That raises it to 1.75 a turn. I do see the armor thing. a one better save is really something. but given the battle cannons versatility against everything else...pretty ugly right now. Thanks Rake!

Errr, am I missing something? Vanquisher's S9.

The genestealer cults get a str 9 vanquisher. I wonder if the IG one is a typo, as str 9 is quite attractive.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Nazrak wrote:
Errr, am I missing something? Vanquisher's S9.

You referencing that from imperial index 2? My books are not here yet.

They do seem to be different- Guard is S8, Cult is S9

S8 is IMO almost certainly a typo. It's supposed to be an improved lascannon, really, and that's what you need for an improved lascannon.

As they are in the guard index listing there is no reason to take a vanquisher over a normal battle cannon. You get 3.5 shots with a battle cannon, same strength, and one less AP. The vanquisher does more damage per shot being 4.5ish after reroll, but that's not three and a half times the average for a battle cannon which is 2. The vanquisher also sucks against anything that's not a good save multi wound target, whereas the battle cannon is good against just about anything.

Alcibiades wrote:
S8 is IMO almost certainly a typo. It's supposed to be an improved lascannon, really, and that's what you need for an improved lascannon.

For a typo it's remarkable consistent. The cult version is 9 in both the data sheet and the wargear summary, the guard version is S8 in 4 different places (tank commander, Russ, Pask and summary)

To me that's less a typo and more 'oops, didn't change it from a playtest version' - and sadly that doesn't indicate which is correct.

Voss wrote:

Alcibiades wrote:
S8 is IMO almost certainly a typo. It's supposed to be an improved lascannon, really, and that's what you need for an improved lascannon.

For a typo it's remarkable consistent. The cult version is 9 in both the data sheet and the wargear summary, the guard version is S8 in 4 different places (tank commander, Russ, Pask and summary)

To me that's less a typo and more 'oops, didn't change it from a playtest version' - and sadly that doesn't indicate which is correct.

I guess we will wait and see what FW calls it, or wait for an errata.

The battlecannon is better then the Vanquisher -rule of thumb: on BS4+ models volume of fire is almost ALWAYS better then high strength single shot.

The dankest red-pill is that:

Over in the IG rumors and discussion thread I made some graphs about the weapons.

If using a non TC Russ to crack tanks, use the Vanq. If using Pask, use the Battle Cannon no matter what you're doing.

If you're using a TC, the Vanquisher is still better at cracking tanks, but Pask makes the two even.