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.

When I first started the game I pretty much fully loaded my vehicles with as many upgrades as possible. So a leman russ with searchlights (back when you had to pay for them), dozer blade, hunter killer missile, smoke launchers, extra armour etc. Once I learned the game I started using them extremely rarely due to the extra point cost, although I tend to give hunter killers to some of my vehicles to give them a lil extra oomph.

However after recently converting some salamanders I found out that actually 3 salamanders with autocannons, heavy bolters with an extra stubber can be hell for medium/light infantry and medium/light vehicles, especially when they outflank mid game. Personally I used to had that upgrade and it's made me a bit more experimental. Tbh it's a shame salamanders camo netting is so expensive!

This thread is more for me to get peoples opinion on different vehicle upgrades. Aka which ones they love or always take & which ones they hate.

If you're interested in 30k opinions I would have more input - I only play superheavy tanks, which are extremely limited in options in 40k despite being a better army than in 30k.

Go ahead

Well, the superheavies in 30k have a whacky list of upgrades compared to 40k, as mentioned, but I prioritize my upgrades this way:

1) Defensive systems: Armoured Ceramite, Flare Shields, Blessed Autosimulacra, whatever is available - I really pile these on. Reasoning: Superheavy tanks hemorrhage VPs in 30k and are all-or-nothing units, so once they go up it is a massive investment in points costs -and- VPs that has just left the board.

2) Major offensive systems: Lascannon sponsons, extra twin-linked weapons, lascannons everywhere! Reasoning: Superheavies have to hit hard and take advantage of their ability to split fire to compete with other armies. The more weapons the better, and the larger the weapon, the harder it hits - paradoxically, superheavies have a harder time killing other superheavies most of the time than other units would, meaning that increased antitank capability is a must. There are few Gargantuan Creatures in 30k, so rate of fire is less important.

3) Lesser offensive upgrades: HKMs, Pintle Mounts, etc. Reasoning: I still take these if I have points, but they're definitely expendable. The Superheavies usually don't need the extra lesser firepower, but if you are going to add an extra weapon to your army, there are fewer better platforms than one which can split-fire and is very hard to kill.

4) Irrelevant upgrades: Mobility upgrades, utility systems, such as Fast or Explorator Augury Arrays. Reasoning: I never use these unless it's a REALLY big game. The superheavies already cost enough simply for their firepower and endurance; to add other features to the vehicle is to increase its target priority for the enemy without adding much value to it's core components: Firepower and toughness.

I struggle to justify the extra points on Vehicles too. Aside from weapon sponsons, about the only ones I consider are (talking Imperium vehicles in 40k):

Storm Bolter/Heavy Stubber (5pts): Only to help protect from Weapon Destroyed results. If the vehicle only has 1 weapon to begin with (like a Sisters of Battle Exorcist) this is decent and cheap upgrade.

Dozer Blades (5pts): Only on transports that are likely to driving in or through difficult terrain in order to deliver a unit somewhere, like Chimeras and Rhinos. MBT don't them because they're normally parked somewhere and don't need to move much.

Hunter Killer Missile (10pts): I only use these on Leman Russ Vanquishers, and only if they're BS4 from a Tank Commander. The Vanquisher, despite being the "Tank Destroyer" variant of the Russ is actually pretty crap at destroying vehicles so the extra S8 shot is helpful.

Camo Netting (15pts): Only if there's points left over at the end, and only on a Russ that's particularly critical (like the Tank Commander). If you can get the vehicle obscured by something else, like guardsmen or another vehicle, then you end up with a 4+ cover save which is pretty decent. It is costly though if you start spamming it on all your vehicles...

 GoonBandito wrote:
Storm Bolter/Heavy Stubber (5pts): Only to help protect from Weapon Destroyed results. If the vehicle only has 1 weapon to begin with (like a Sisters of Battle Exorcist) this is decent and cheap upgrade.

For the salamanders it's 10 points which is the same as the cost of a heavy bolter! Although as I said they just become lethal against infantry! 6 S7 + 9 S5 + 9 S4 shots isn't anything to turn your nose up at for 195 points! Plus Outflank and more survivability + mobile than heavy weapon squads.

I always buy the bare minimum for vehicles cuz with vehicles being overall cheaper than they were in 4th edition, a few points shaven here and there usually means a whole new vehicle added to the army. Whatever protection that could be afforded to the vehicle or effectiveness by the upgrade is usually outdone by the inclusion of a second version of said vehicle.

Upgrades on most vehicles in 40k are kinda wasted since they are really expensive compared to the vehicle.
If you are buying a 35 point transport you don't want to be spending 15 points on a upgrade that makes it just a bit better. This is almost a 50% point increase while being just as easy to kill.

Upgrades I will take.
- The reroll terrain checks upgrades on transports that will go trough terrain and should really not get stuck.
- Some weapon upgrades that are just too good to pass.
- Some of the IA marine honour upgrades that really improve the vehicle a lot. Such as the drop pod that doesn't scatter, or the blast that ignores cover saves.
-Some durability upgrades on really expensive models, not excluding meks or tech priest in order to repair it or external force field like effects in order to protect it.

Generally speaking it depends on cost versus actual utility. A 5 point heavy stubber on a Leman Russ is extra firepower on a durable platform for not a whole lot. An extra Stormbolter on a Rhino? Rhinos tend to die quickly so that Stormbolter isn't likely to accomplish much. On the other hand, I would argue that a Stormbolter on a Vindicator is practically mandatory. It's insurance against weapon destroyed results which would render your tank completely useless if it only had the demolisher cannon. A dozer blade is certainly worth it on transport vehicles as the last thing you want is for one of them to be immobilized especially in an objectives game.

Actually, they are worth it on pretty much every tank except for artillery vehicles.

When I use a Land Raider (which is not often anymore), I usually take a Multimelta. The vehicle already costs 250 points (for the Crusader or Godhammer version), so it's like, "What's an extra 10 points going to matter?"

I've had great success ramming with weaponless vindicators :p.

the Havoc Launcher on the Chaos Rhino is an upgrade I really like, and one of the few exceptions to me buying anything besides dozer blades for a Rhino. It basically turns it into a 10-man capacity Razorback

Armoured Ceramite is about the only upgrade I give to vehicles, other than giving a dreadnought a better gun (AssCannon). Otherwise, it's a stock transport. Save the toys for the boys.

Let's roll.

Camo gear on everything and Artificer Hulls on my important Leman Russ tanks. Coaxial Heavy Stubbers are also really useful as they make my main gun twinlinked if I hit with them