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 Red__Thirst wrote:
Eradicator (Again, like the demolisher, I'd avoid sponsons. They're just not worth the points it in my view, as they'll be snap firing more often than not. Run a hull heavy bolter or heavy flamer to taste and let this thing clear out units that rely on cover saves to survive. If you want to run a heavy stubber that isn't a bad idea either, simply to make it less likely that you'll lose your main turret weapon in the event you take a weapon destroyed result. Overall I'd class this variant equally with a standard Leman Russ with a Battlecannon, but have it placed above the standard LRBT due to the proliferation of cover saves in the current rules of 40k.)

The nova cannon is heavy, so you do not have to snap fire.

The humble Russ isn't bad but its not worth writing home about either.

The 'nerf' to a heavy tank (why they did this is one of those WTF issues: it wasn't op unlike the vendetta...) buggered the use of side weapons unless you are running a punisher etc. So in a lot of cases you have to rely more on the blast weapon.

That being said its how you use them that is important. The OP obviously faces people who know what blast weapons can do so they try to minimize the damage. The terrain you play on is also a big influence, I tend to be on boards with lots of ruins which actually cause people to bunch up to get the most of the cover. Ironically giving blast weapons an opportunity to do decent damage.

However when the scatter dice in working well, its is very effective, once I did not scatter for the whole game.

However whoever lets his crisis suits get shot by a battlecannon is asking for it, my erstwhile IG opponent is always annoyed when my suit JSJ out of sight so he hasn't the chance to bugger them up. So he has to shoot at the riptides instead, or attempt to kill my hammerheads before his russes are dead

always annoyed when my suit JSJ out of sight so he hasn't the chance to bugger them up.

GAH! I hate when Tau do that! it is very annoying, yet i must admit it's very effective.

You are correct, my opponents typically huddle up to ruins/buildings, granting good cover saves, and giving large blasts a chance to do damage. Hellhound has outshined my Russ's in both instances.

However whoever lets his crisis suits get shot by a battlecannon is asking for it

LOL. It was pretty awesome to finally kill one of his suits. I still lost the game (straight shootout vs Tau, i didn't figure it would end well for me), but finally knocking a suit out of commission was pretty cool. Now if i could find a way to knock out his two squads of three suits....

I appreciate the feedback guys, really helping a new guy out. Thanks!!

 Blacksails wrote:
@Red_Thirst

The Medusa with BB shells is a non-ordnance, direct fire weapon as well as the Vanquisher. Though I suspect its more accurate when shooting at vehicles due to the nature of blasts now. In any case, I'd much rather have S10 +2D6 at AP1.

And its still 48" range, which means it can still reach out and touch someone.

And its cheaper.

@Makumba

You want DLC? Eugh, count me out. I want a complete codex from the get go, and not forced to buy DLC to have an effective or varied force.

Aha, so it is, so it is. I was at work when I posted my initial response and didn't have my codex in front of me to confirm that. I was thinking of the standard shell regarding range and being ordnance vs. being direct fire and had also forgotten that the bastion breaker shells had more to them than just the difference in ST/AP. My opinion still stands regarding the Griffon Heavy Mortars though.

 Trickstick wrote:
The nova cannon is heavy, so you do not have to snap fire.

Aha, so it is, so it is. I thought it was an ordnance weapon similar to the Demolisher, just with slightly better range, lower stats, but trading off that it ignored cover completely. Good catch on it being simply a Heavy weapon. I never run them, but now knowing that, it certainly is a candidate for toting a trio of additional heavy bolters, and a heavy stubber too if points allow.

Thanks for the corrections on that. Forgive my (minor) ignorance on those two tanks.

Take it easy.

-RT-

Blacksails wrote:
The Medusa with BB shells is a non-ordnance, direct fire weapon as well as the Vanquisher. Though I suspect its more accurate when shooting at vehicles due to the nature of blasts now. In any case, I'd much rather have S10 +2D6 at AP1.

And its still 48" range, which means it can still reach out and touch someone.

And its cheaper.

... and it's much easier to destroy. And, much more importantly, you can give a russ a lascannon and a pair of multimeltas or plasma cannons at criminally cheap prices. The medusa never gets anything better than a heavy bolter, and doesn't have the option to buy more stuff.

And that's one of the things people have to get into their heads. The vanquisher isn't a tank with a 50/50 chance to do anything, the vanquisher is a tank that averages two hits per turn. You can't say that about a medusa.

As for the punisher, with lascannon/multimeltas, there is nothing that doesn't fear this tank. There was a tournament I went to where I brought two of these, and they almost single-handedly annihilated a draigowing. The combination of a bunch of great S/ low Ap AND a huge volume of fire can be extremely violent. I'd say it's the best tank in the arsenal, except for the fact that they're only good against AV12+ at very short ranges, and they're sort of only ever SO good against monstrous creatures (that have the T and Sv to handle volume, and the W and sometimes ++ to handle the rest).

And yeah, if you REALLY want, you can take the dread king plasma tank - executioner with lascannon and plasma cannons and pask. Over 300 points, but you're more or less throwing out 6 BS4 S8 Ap2 shots per turn you fire. That's an eye-watering amount of damage.

 Ailaros wrote:

... and it's much easier to destroy. And, much more importantly, you can give a russ a lascannon and a pair of multimeltas or plasma cannons at criminally cheap prices. The medusa never gets anything better than a heavy bolter, and doesn't have the option to buy more stuff.

And that's one of the things people have to get into their heads. The vanquisher isn't a tank with a 50/50 chance to do anything, the vanquisher is a tank that averages two hits per turn. You can't say that about a medusa.

As for the punisher, with lascannon/multimeltas, there is nothing that doesn't fear this tank. There was a tournament I went to where I brought two of these, and they almost single-handedly annihilated a draigowing. The combination of a bunch of great S/ low Ap AND a huge volume of fire can be extremely violent. I'd say it's the best tank in the arsenal, except for the fact that they're only good against AV12+ at very short ranges, and they're sort of only ever SO good against monstrous creatures (that have the T and Sv to handle volume, and the W and sometimes ++ to handle the rest).

And yeah, if you REALLY want, you can take the dread king plasma tank - executioner with lascannon and plasma cannons and pask. Over 300 points, but you're more or less throwing out 6 BS4 S8 Ap2 shots per turn you fire. That's an eye-watering amount of damage.

Quoted for truth.

*High fives Ailaros*

I personally like dedicating a tank to a specific role myself. My reasoning for this is I only have a handful of turns to shoot with these tanks, and I don't want to waste a turn of 'shooting' the Punisher cannon at a tank or piece of armor it can't hurt because I have to send the hull lascannon and/or sponson multimeltas at said target. If I'm running a Punisher pattern Leman Russ, I want it to pump out as many shots a turn and use it to smear infantry into fine gribbly bits of meat. If I'm running a vanquisher I want it to be as cheap as possible but still have at least two anti-tank shots a turn if I can manage the points for it. The best part about these two tanks is you can run a fairly cheap inquisitor from the new digital =][= codex, join him to a guard squad behind/near these tanks and get prescience to make them far, far more effective.

All that said, I like the way you think Ailaros I can totally see where you're coming from with having the tank built out for utility.

Just my thoughts. Take it easy.

-RT-

Off topic, Red_Thirst, I like your sig, glad to meet another Firefly fan!

On topic, I also like using a tank as a dedicated role-player also. Like i mentioned, I often find myself needing my tanks to do anti-infantry stuff. This afternoon I toyed around with the idea of running two naked LRBT's in a squadron and then a lone Executioner (for heavier infantry, I.E. Termies, am i thinking right?), but then i realized i may be sinking way too many points into it. 2 LRBT's in a squadron should essentially increase the odds to hit and then to wound, but then i realized that's a lot of points into a squadron that still may not perform all that well. LOL, i seem to be trying to find a way for the poor old LRBT to be better, but I see that a 'utility' tank or two will be better, as has been mentioned earlier. Most likely will try to find a way to work an Executioner into the list, and possibly an Exterminator, with Artillery in the third slot.

Thanks!

@Fogbank: Shiney, sir. Shiney

Also, personally, I like having utility spread across my vehicles to a certain extent. Much like you're talking about, Fogbank.

For instance: My first heavy Support choice is always a squadron of two Griffon heavy mortars. Two of these tanks (without any upgrades, mind you) weigh in at exactly the same cost as one solitary Leman Russ Battletank without upgrades. My second heavy support choice is likely going to be either a Leman Russ Punisher, or Leman Russ Demolisher if I need to shave points to trim the list down. This tank will be for dedicated anti infantry (or the Demolisher being more of a utility tank). The third Heavy Support will be a Vanquisher with a Hull Lascannon. Obviously, this tank will be my #1 anti-armor unit working in tandem with my Vendetta gunships.

If they make Leman Russes cheaper in the codex, I may field a pair of them in a squadron (if they leave squadrons in, which I expect they will). Perhaps an Exterminator, and a Punisher, with a Vanquisher running along as it's own choice. We'll see.

More to come later, take it easy for now guys.

-RT-