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 Commander_Farsight wrote:
Well, the manta is not that bad. It would be able to do some significant damage before just going down right?

It wouldn't go down very quickly. It is whether you get tabled before it comes from reserve.

 Gitsmasher wrote:
I meant to add that I would only play against a manta in escalation if it was a real one and not a scratch build.

I don't care how good your scratch build looks, if it didnt come from FW its not a manta. That and it's an insult to those people out there who spent the money on a real one.

As a person who has bought several super heavies (I have 10 purchased super heavies) and built several more (including proxies, before I buy or build one) I would totally 100% disagree with this.

Don't get me wrong - I expect a "final" scratch build to have taken time and care to the limit of the users' skill. (I.e. don't expect me to respect a shoe box with the word "baneblade" written on it to work in your 10th game with it).

Now, if this is in the context of wanting people to put similar effort and investment of energy into the hobby as you do - I can respect this (like you take time to pant your army, but a friend still has an unpainted army three years later...).

But I have to admit...(trying not to be insulting here) but any other scenario kind of sounds ....'elitist".
(perhaps there was a bad experience with some players trying to pass off crude proxies for the sake of powergaming?).


Automatically Appended Next Post:
OH, and while I love the look of the manta, I don't think I would ever buy or scratch build one -

* its damage output per points cost is absurdly bad.

Of course you should not judge units completely in apoc based upon their damage output - but overall, for its points cost, the manta does not bring that much firepower to the table.

* its just huge...like really huge.
(do a google image search for tau manta).

I had considered scratch building one, but in looking at it...yeah, it would just take up too much room on the table, would be very hard to move around etc.

Tragically, overall the tau superheavies are just ....terrible compared to what other races have in the same point ranges.

Oh, but to answer the OP question: no.
not enough points left.

It might be fun to see what one could do, in a test game, and it sure could capture at least one objective well....

So other than the fact that you all pretty much have really strong opinions on the Manta, is it possible to put it into a 2500 point list? Could someone make one and post it? And thanks for your support so far. I really appreciate it

 Gitsmasher wrote:

 Swastakowey wrote:

NamelessBard wrote:

 Gitsmasher wrote:
it's an insult to those people out there who spent the money on a real one.

It's really not what it is at all. Even if someone put a shoebox on a flight stand, it's still not an insult to someone spending money.

Or if someone built their own house instead of buying one. Or if someone made their own anything without buying the full product. It should be commended. They used their brain and skill.

What do houses have to do with a miniature's game? In all seriousness though people who scratch build because they are too poor, or lazy since they dont want to use their brain and skill to get a job that pays enough, or saves money to be able to afford one should not be commended.

I can do it too

Says the person who walked onto a job daddy gave them.

 Commander_Farsight wrote:
So other than the fact that you all pretty much have really strong opinions on the Manta, is it possible to put it into a 2500 point list? Could someone make one and post it? And thanks for your support so far. I really appreciate it

Yes, it is possible. The manta is about 2k points, so depending on what upgrades you want to give it, you have about 500 points left.

So, here is the list:
~2k - manta
500 - points of other stuff that might not really matter.....

Heh...

You will have to decide what you might want to spend those points on.

Spend it on fun stuff you might not normally play. like...

* A TON of vespid and have them ride on top of the manta!!!!
(yeah, they are terrible, but I love my custom vespid....).

* 500 points of kroot might be fun to run along with it....what is that...like 90 kroot or something?

* 500 points of gun drones!!!!! toasters wtih pulse carbines EVERYWHERE!!!!

Honestly, the Manta would work better as a battle board itself instead of a unit. Play some Zone Mortalis inside the Manta, thing is too dang big for even Apocalypse.

A boarding action scenario. Perfect.

davethepak wrote:

 Commander_Farsight wrote:
So other than the fact that you all pretty much have really strong opinions on the Manta, is it possible to put it into a 2500 point list? Could someone make one and post it? And thanks for your support so far. I really appreciate it

Yes, it is possible. The manta is about 2k points, so depending on what upgrades you want to give it, you have about 500 points left.

So, here is the list:
~2k - manta
500 - points of other stuff that might not really matter.....

Heh...

You will have to decide what you might want to spend those points on.

Spend it on fun stuff you might not normally play. like...

* A TON of vespid and have them ride on top of the manta!!!!
(yeah, they are terrible, but I love my custom vespid....).

* 500 points of kroot might be fun to run along with it....what is that...like 90 kroot or something?

* 500 points of gun drones!!!!! toasters wtih pulse carbines EVERYWHERE!!!!

Thanks for some serious help, lol. I think that I am going to run alongside some crisis suits, i love those things, I actually might just get a buffmander and attach it to a totally tricked out riptide. lol.

 gossipmeng wrote:


"Hey that is an interesting looking coffee table" - pffft gurl thats my manta XD

I now have a plan on how to store mine =D Thanks!

Screw that, Looted manta anyone?
Only Orks can fix something that big and awkward.

Hey there,

Forgeworld Manta owner here.

In respons to the OP.
Yes you can. That might even be a good thing.
Most D weapons / AT weapons are blasts. Those will not hurt you.
You just have to stay alive for one turn.
Unless you could deploy the Manta on the Skyshield landings pad. Could you?

As for the discussion of actually buying one ...
Yes, it is one expensive model. It cost me 1100 euros. It did come with over 400 € of GW models. it's still overkill, that's a fact.

Aside from being a gamer, I am also a collector. I love to paint them to high standards and stash them in my display case. I get a weird sense of pride whenever I walk by it.
The manta is something that has been on my bucket list for years. It was my GF who convinced to buy one. At the time, I lived at home, worked a high end IT security job and had no financial costs at the end of the month. Instead of sitting my ass on a beach for a week, I bought the Manta.

I have spent more time building / painting it then I would have on a vacation. I could have built one myself. But that would mean that I ended up with an inferior product that would soak up a huge amount of time. So I chose to put some extra time in at work and voila!

Wundarr wrote:
Hey there,

Forgeworld Manta owner here.

In respons to the OP.
Yes you can. That might even be a good thing.

Could you please explain how you make a 2000 Point army list with a Manta?

You know......Just a quick list with the usual obligatory HQ choice and two Troop choices in addition to the Manta....

 Commander_Farsight wrote:
Well, the manta is not that bad. It would be able to do some significant damage before just going down right?

Significant damage? Sure! It will make your table crack in half!
Seriously, a manta is just not practical. I've always viewed it as a show model, rather than a game model.

Yeah, I have decided to not go with the Manta, but start building a Warhoud for my IG.

O.o You can buy upgrades for a manta? I have the outdated taros campaign (waiting for the apoc book to come out) All 19XX points I thought paid for all the weapons and its crazy high structure point now hull points.

If anyone has ever used one of those monsters in a game, I urge you to post pictures.

No, the Manta can't take any upgrades, lol.

You don't need a skyshield for a manta....(it would not fit anyway) it has a built in 4++.

As far as a list...it does not matter. I mean really....here is the list.

2000 - Manta
500 - Other stuff that does not last more than one turn if it is not inside the manta.




As far as size....its huge...I mean really.
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Images/Product/AlternativeFW/xlarge/Manta8.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5531/9045728904_3a3ae66265_b.jpg

http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/ATqTPa9o2Zo/maxresdefault.jpg

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2009/4/20/28528_md-Adepticon%202009,%20Manta,%20Tau,%20Team%20Tournament.jpg

like big....really big....

 Gitsmasher wrote:

 CthuluIsSpy wrote:

 Gitsmasher wrote:

 Aeroroot wrote:
HAHAHAHAHA no. A tau manta is over 1800pts. Seriously, why? Just...why? Its not like it is really that good, just big.

So over 80 S5 long barrel burstcannon shots, 9 twin linked ion cannon shots, 2 str D railguns, a misslepod, and 10 seeker missles a turn isnt good lol.

For the price? No.

I honestly think its worth the price if you can afford it. A manta falls in line with items like Gucci bags, and Ferrari's. Nobody needs a Gucci bag, or Ferrari, but guess what? Some people have money to blow on these items. And some war-gamers *shocker* actually have good jobs to buy mantas, titan maniples...etc.

So to answer the question I would love to play against a manta at 2700 pts. Turn 1 blast my opponents models off the table, end of turn 1 I win.

Edit: spelling errors..

what makes the hobby interesting in the first place is that they are MINIATURES. I wouldnt pay 20 bucks for that coffee table piece of junk.

that thing looks like it belongs in walmarts toy section.