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I am working on an idea for a detachment for an imperial army. I have the following 3 ideas that each bring 12 lascannons to the table.

348 pts
company commander 2x
heavy weapon team (3 las) 4x

572 pts
dev (5 man with 4 las) 3x
captain 1x

538 pts
creed/kell
yarrick
heavy weapon team (3 las) 4x

This setup lets me shoot the lascannons with a reroll of 1s using orders from the company commander and the reroll rule from the captain. The SM version has an 83% chance of hitting while the AM version only has a 66%. The 2nd AM option lets me get the reroll of 1s and get orders for my HWTs so they can reroll 1s on damage as well. I'm looking for opinions on which setup would be better in theory.

Well, one option is around 200pts cheaper than the others! You can afford to take the full 6 squads and it'd still be cheaper. Consider sergeant harker for re rolling ones and a free heavy bolter too.

I've generally been using mixed heavy weapons squads with a mortar and two lascannon teams. That way you can kill the mortar first - they're only 9pts for an increase in durability and reasonable anti infantry firepower

And how many turns do you expect those HWT to survive? They're T3 5+ models where every 2 wounds removes a lascannon. Heck, if you're going second, you may not have less than half your lascannons by the time you go.

Vendetta. 230pts for 6. Just hover in place so you get 4+ to hit.

As for HWSs, you would have much more resilience putting the lascannons inside infantry squads. You get buffer wounds but split fire means you can still shoot the at targets you want to.

I too also agree with Vendettas. 230 points for 6 lascannons seems to be the most efficient source for lascannon power.

What about 3 Twin Las Tarantulas (6 Las Cannons total) for 150?

if your spending over 200 points for 4 lascannins you might as well just go with a las pred.

A couple of squads of Dark Angels Lascannon Devs next to Azrael would be pretty terrifying for big things. Rerolls to hit and a 4++ to protect against inevitable return fire are pretty killer. Of course, Predators aren't bad either for this. Azrael is just so useful for lascannons and other single-shot weapons in 8th.

Lascannons are fairly pricey to get now unless you have them on a squishy delivery method.

Quantity route probably works best for Imperium. Ton of HWTs, maybe buffed with Yarrick, Harker or Sabre Platforms. Squishy, yes, but easy to hide in cover (maybe hide some Astropaths with them too - +1 cover and -1 enemy cover is handy

BrianDavion wrote:
if your spending over 200 points for 4 lascannins you might as well just go with a las pred.

A-las pred, the way I figure (which, not being a SM player could easily be wrong) is 252 pts, for 6 Lascannons. BS3, T7, 11 Wounds. This isnt exactly cheaper, but it is durable I suppose.
The 230pt Vendetta being hard to hit, BS4, also T7, but 14W.

Mavnas wrote:
And how many turns do you expect those HWT to survive? They're T3 5+ models where every 2 wounds removes a lascannon. Heck, if you're going second, you may not have less than half your lascannons by the time you go.

Well, I advocated putting them in mixed HWT squads with two mortars for just 42pts a pop. Six squads like this with a company commander come to 282pts in a spearhead detachment. I'd argue they could be more survivable than a tank in MSU form like this - they have 36 T3 wounds and MSU will lead to some degree of overkill for each team destroyed. Survivability really depends on what the rest of your army consists of - in an all tank army, they'll stick out as soft targets. In a guard infantry horde they'll still be worth shooting, but the enemy's anti infantry weapons will already be extremely taxed. Also bear in mind that Vendettas/predators are subject to stat degradation now, which is doesn't help them.

The HWTs hit with more power than the Vendetta as well due to the mortars (which when combined put out the same damage as another lascannon Vs hard targets, though you're better off eradicating infantry with them) - 21 S4 hits on average ignoring line of sight is a crazily powerful as an extra ability. Also you have the option of orders too if you have a commander without better targets for them. One further advantage is that you don't have to declare all of their firepower in one go. This is pretty massive as you can fire the lascannons one at a time until your target goes down then immediately moving to the next with any left over. Same goes for the mortars.

I'm not saying they don't have drawbacks, but I believe they're one of the strongest ways of bringing lascannons currently

Put the HWT (or insert lascannon squad here) into a Bunker or other fortification.

Then your opponent has to deal with a tough target before it can get to the squishy lascannons and your juicy lascannons get good shots from anywhere on the fortification.

Not sure it's the most efficient, but from IA:Astartes I like...

Deredeo (I like autocannons, but you could put the super lascannons on it). Hits on 2+. ~ 200ish pts

The Deredeo confers a 5+ invuln on units within 6"...

A good place for two Mortis Dreds with Twinlinked Lascannons at ~ 350ish points.

It's all quite expensive, but appears tough to shift and potentially quite potent.

Company Ancients with Devastator squads seem a bit good...

Skitarii Ironstriders kitted out with twin cognis lascannons come to 95 points a piece (I think) and come out as a fairly accurate and tough (T6) weapons platform. They have huge movement for the purpose of re positioning and can advance and still fire. Bonus is they fill out the fast attack slot last I checked so that helps out gunlines going for a brigade.