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.

Get the Fire Raptor. The current rules kinda blow for the tank. Forfeiting movement to maximize the rules for the tank kinda sucks. The different missiles are just all over the place- which might be perceived as an advantage, but that costs a lot of points. If you take this tank for anti-air, than you are going to use it as anti-air and probably never shoot the other three types of missiles. Anti-infantry? Then you'll ignore the other three types of missiles. Anti-vehicle? Then you'll ignore the other three types of missiles. Specialization > generalization in 30K. If you take this tank to fill a hole in your list, such as anti-air, anti-infantry, anti-tank, then you will be ignoring the other abilities of the tank. Basically, the Arcus would be a good tournament tank when you don't know exactly what you will be facing. It's also a great tank to take when the AA, AAA, and AI are already covered.

The Fire Raptor gains a huge defensive bonus for just being a flyer. It can target different units, has Power of the Machine spirit, and honestly, neither vehicle is going to be taken bare bones. You're going to add more to it. After you add up all the extras, the Fire Raptor will cost less. It is a risk, as the Fire Raptor won't be on the board Turn 1, and might not show up at all (!!). If the Arcus tank forfeits it's movement to shoot twice, it has the potential to do more damage than the Fire Raptor.

When 30K gets the 8th edition rules, which might take a year or two, the Fire Raptor will still be the superior choice between the two.

When the Arcus gets full up, non-experimental rules, maybe this will change. Right now, the Fire Raptor is the better choice.