Vehicle-based Units
Black Templars Dreadnoughts
These can do all things, be it anti-tank (close and long ranged), anti-infantry, can be survivable (with smoke, extra armour and Venerable) and gain a form of mobility with the use of a drop pod.
They can perform many differing roles, so they can usually justify a place in your army.
+++
Loadouts;
Anti-tank.
Short mêlée Dread.
1] Multi melta, Heavy flamer (compulsory).
All rounder.
Short mêlée Dread.
2] Assault cannon, Heavy flamer (optional).
Backfield.
Long mêlée Dread.
3] Twin linked Las cannon, Heavy flamer (optional).
Long shooty Dread.
4] Twin linked Las cannon, Missile launcher.
Short shooty Dread.
5] Assault cannon, Missile launcher.
As you can, the Dreadnought can be tailored to any task you have in mind.
1] Foot or Pod. Near useless against Daemons and less useful against Tyranids.
2] Foot or Pod. The Assault cannon kills men and Armour well. It doesn’t need the Heavy Flamer like 1] does, the Storm bolter is more harmonious with the AC.
3] Foot. Without the same venom as the above two have in killing Armour, or the AI shooting the AC brings, means this configuration can be used as a back field defender. The LC gives it the reach to contribute anywhere, whilst keeping the DCCW means should anything reach your fire base or objective, you can hammer them in close combat.
4] Foot. Long range AT fire power and being able to move 6” and fire both weapons means it can follow you force as it covers the table top.
5] Foot. The short range of the AC and it’s flexibility, which also characterises the ML, means this Dread can tackle up to AV 13 and infantry, but will be advancing across the table top to do so.
+++
Venerable, should you take it?
It allows you to ask your foe to re-roll the damage results. There will be times that he’ll roll Destroyed again, but that is only 2/6. Those are good odds in your favour.
Considering that we pay one third of what Ultramarines would for it, shows that it is extremely good value (though I think UM is too expensive). For the price of two Neophytes, you can really extend the longevity of your Dreadnought. It’s cheap!
It works best on Dreads who have kept their DCCW. With smoke and extra armour, even with the re-roll of Venerable, the Dread will still be unable to shoot whenever the get glanced. Being able to still move and assault 12” means that your Dread will still manage to tar-pit units, smash tanks and help your Infantry.
With AV 12, the Dreadnought isn’t that hard, though having the same armour on the sides is a nice touch and let’s it wade into the fighting without fear of being flanked. Venerable allows it to keep moving and assaulting.
+++
Venerable skills;
Furious Charge gives +1 Initiative on the charge.
This means you get first strike against other Dreads, Wraithlords, Trygons and Mawlocs. It’s not bad and your local game could mean it is very useful, but generally I would say no.
Tank hunter gives +1 to penetration rolls.
Even your s10 DCCW gets the bonus because it is not a buff to strength.
Against AV 14;
ML and long range MM penetrate 1/6
LC 2/6
MM with MELTA 26/36 or 72% (instead of 58%)
AC 8/108 x 4 = 30% (instead of 15%)
That makes it worthwhile but not the most urgent of upgrades to take.
+++
Heavy Flamers, worthwhile?
It’s 8” template can seem too short compared to the nice 24” of the Storm bolter. And it costs a Neophyte. However, all it needs is one whoosh and whole squads of Aspect Warriors can disappear. One flame from it will kill 2 Marines from 9 consistently. That’s 30 pts from one shot. I have killed 14 Ard boyz in one well placed flame. That’s 14 Neophytes worth! Should you be charging a horde of Boyz, Hormagaunts, etc. the Heavy Flamer will kill far more of them with a single shot than will ever die to the bludgeonings of it’s fist.
So on Dreads that will be in the thick of it, like 1] and 2] they become a mandatory choice. Even 3] will benefit from being able to seriously dent any backfield marauders.
If you get behind Armour, the s5 flame can penetrate AV 10.
+++
Multi melta versus Assault Cannon.
The most common types of Dreadnought are the Multi melta and the Assault cannon armed ones. They just fit the Dreads in your face roll. So which one to choose?
Multi melta;
One shot (poor against infantry) Powerful (insta-kills 2+ save, multi wound t4 things).
+1 to damage rolls means even glances can result in Destroyed.
Within MELTA range, it is the most powerful Anti-tank weapon in the game.
Specialised.
Assault Cannon;
Multiple shots (excellent against 4+ save infantry) Rending (killing TEqs) gives it flexibility to hammer all Infantry.
Multiple rending shots actually means this gun is also better against Armour than a Las cannon.
Flexible.
Considering that the AC is cheaper and more flexible, it is a safe bet. I prefer the MM because I feel Crusader squads already can take out Infantry well and so I want to be better against armour.
I do take lots of Crusaders though. If you are light on Crusaders, the AC variant becomes more sound as it helps against infantry. Either choice is a good one.
+++
Drop Pod or Foot?
If you are using a Foot army, your Crusader squads will benefit greatly from having the Dreadnought alongside them. With Mech, they’ll be left behind and won’t be effective for two turns if you run them to keep up. However, a shooty Dread can happily move it’s 6” per turn and fire to full effect. That makes Podding much more necessary for either short mêlée Dread to be of use.
You can Pod in either of the Shooty Dreads, preferably behind the foe so you can rip into rear armour. This can make for a terrific diversion tactic. The foe now needs to re-arrange his Armour. In combination with a Pred attacking from the front, the Dread forces a dilemma upon him. Podding a Shooty Dread can also negate a foes speed. You have now occupied the once safe backfield that his, say, Falcons were zooming around in. The Shooty Dread has the reach and the positioning to make for a hard time. Shooty Dreads are still worthwhile in assaulting tanks, the 6” assault giving them good mobility and s6 attacks work reasonably against AV 10.
You can also Pod in the mêlée Dreads. What they lose in terms of a ML (which gives terrific reach straight into the rear armour, and even ML penetrate AV 10 fairly consistently) they swap for speed. They can rush from tank to tank, having an effective 12” of move each turn, with assaulting. The strength that the mêlée Dread has is, even if he gets Stunned or Shaken, he’ll still be effective because of being able to assault with such power. That s10 means tanks will consistently be taking damage rolls.
+++
So how does that compare with 3 deep striking Land speeders?
The Speeders have an advantage with 3 MM shots. But you wont be bringing them as a squadron and so will turn up willy-nilly. The Speeders have the benefit of being 3 AV 10 units, and so require at least three units shooting at them to take them out, whilst the Dread can be taken out with but one shot.
It really is a preference and local game choice to make. Both are good but are of more use in different circumstances. It is up to you to play both and see what suits you and brings success and your particular opponents.
Dreads can also tar-pit Devastator squads and join your Crusaders once they have crossed the table. A Death-wind Pod is great against infantry and with decent positioning you force the foe to deal with what was essentially just an envelope to deliver the Dread.
+++
Dreads versus Preds.
A Long shooty Dread brings a TL LC and a ML for 143 pts.
3-las Pred brings a TL LC and 2 LCs for 153 pts. The Pred is much better at long range AT, and having AV 13 means that it is tougher too, because side armour is harder to expose from a distance.
A Short shooty Dread brings an AC and a ML for 123 pts. The Dread can do both reasonably well and so warrants consideration.
Dakka Pred brings an Auto Cannon and 2 HBs for 118 pts. For AI the Pred wins
Combi Pred brings an Auto cannon and 2 LCs for 133 pts. For AT the Pred wins
+++
HOW I USE MY DREADNOUGHT WITH CRUSADERS.
Dreadnoughts can kill, quite reliably, 2 models a turn. Whether a Mega-armoured Warboss or a grot. 10 Crusaders can kill 10 boyz on the charge quite comfortably. They struggle against MegaNobz, however. 10 Crusaders shoot dead 3-4 boyz. The HF could net another 3-4 boyz. An AC will kill another 3 - but IMO you don't need that. You want a gun that can take out AV10 up to 14 reliably AND kill a Mega Nob one shot. That means a MM - unlikely for just a glance with melta rule & +2 damage versus most Ork Vehicles. This complements the Mg and PF the Crusaders bring.
The quality of Dread kills is complimented by the quantity of Crusader kills. A Dread will get tar-pitted by grots. Crusaders will, in effect, get tar-pitted by MegaNobz. Together, they cover one another's backs.
2 Melta shots from the duo is a good way to insta-kill MegaNobz & open transports for the assault. You have 3 DCCW and 2 PF attacks on them as well. That tank has got to open sooner or later!
The Crusaders RUN everyturn. The Dread chooses between the MM shot and RUNNING/Smoke in T1. The Crusaders do seem to get ahead of the Dread but that seems inevitable with wanting a good return from the optional RZ move and wanting to shoot the MM. The Dread will never be more than a turn away though.
*This is also where my Vindi choice comes in. As you can see the Dread has a great future with the Crusaders. With the Vindi getting the heat, that allows A] The 3-las-Pred to target anti-tank threats unmolested, further improving tank survivability, and B] Gets the Dread that much closer to his goal of cc, which provides cover against anti-tank shooting.... What a tricksy mind that hobbit has....
*I know MegaNobz are not an optimal Ork choice but they are quite good and have a good range of equivalents: Terminators, Wraithguard, Tyrant Guard/Warriors, Death Company and so on.
I hope I have shared something useful/ what was wanted to be heard.
HOW IT CAME TO BE.
It all came about from Game1 versus my brothers Orks. 1500pts. I took the EC and an AC HF Dread. I didn't have them especially near my squads. My entire force was annihilated, with a Weirdboy & Mob left standing. The Initiates did well against the boyz but the Warboss & Nobz just powered through me. Eventually, after me dilly-dallying, the EC fought the retinue and killed the Warboss.
I realised that Crusaders trump Boyz but are trumped by Nobz. The EC, a mere "level 2" character could kill the Nobz and the "level 3" Warboss. Hmmm.
On another part of the table the Dread had duffed over a mob of Trukk boyz, Burna Boyz and a Battle Wagon. Maybe more, I can't quite recall. He seemed colossal to both my brother and I. He was "in" - as far as I was concerned, for future lists.
A couple of things I noticed about the Dread. He was a legend! His shooting then charge would break 10 Ork Mobz and he'd run them down. But his cc wasn't "that" good. Sure he'd kill 2 a turn but pfff, who couldn't? It was apparent that his potential wasn't being reached against boyz. I had charged him into the Battlewagon when the tide was going against him. I figured he'd kill more in the explosion than he could with his own fist and I was right. I didn't like the AC though. It had a hard time getting through armour, so it got voted off the island.
Game2.
It was apparent the Crusaders needed an IC. I had three offence squads. I included a Castellan with poLC. The Castellan & EC both lead a squad. This left a squad and the Dread and they were put together. Friends ever since.
They can perform many differing roles, so they can usually justify a place in your army.
+++
Loadouts;
Anti-tank.
Short mêlée Dread.
1] Multi melta, Heavy flamer (compulsory).
All rounder.
Short mêlée Dread.
2] Assault cannon, Heavy flamer (optional).
Backfield.
Long mêlée Dread.
3] Twin linked Las cannon, Heavy flamer (optional).
Long shooty Dread.
4] Twin linked Las cannon, Missile launcher.
Short shooty Dread.
5] Assault cannon, Missile launcher.
As you can, the Dreadnought can be tailored to any task you have in mind.
1] Foot or Pod. Near useless against Daemons and less useful against Tyranids.
2] Foot or Pod. The Assault cannon kills men and Armour well. It doesn’t need the Heavy Flamer like 1] does, the Storm bolter is more harmonious with the AC.
3] Foot. Without the same venom as the above two have in killing Armour, or the AI shooting the AC brings, means this configuration can be used as a back field defender. The LC gives it the reach to contribute anywhere, whilst keeping the DCCW means should anything reach your fire base or objective, you can hammer them in close combat.
4] Foot. Long range AT fire power and being able to move 6” and fire both weapons means it can follow you force as it covers the table top.
5] Foot. The short range of the AC and it’s flexibility, which also characterises the ML, means this Dread can tackle up to AV 13 and infantry, but will be advancing across the table top to do so.
+++
Venerable, should you take it?
It allows you to ask your foe to re-roll the damage results. There will be times that he’ll roll Destroyed again, but that is only 2/6. Those are good odds in your favour.
Considering that we pay one third of what Ultramarines would for it, shows that it is extremely good value (though I think UM is too expensive). For the price of two Neophytes, you can really extend the longevity of your Dreadnought. It’s cheap!
It works best on Dreads who have kept their DCCW. With smoke and extra armour, even with the re-roll of Venerable, the Dread will still be unable to shoot whenever the get glanced. Being able to still move and assault 12” means that your Dread will still manage to tar-pit units, smash tanks and help your Infantry.
With AV 12, the Dreadnought isn’t that hard, though having the same armour on the sides is a nice touch and let’s it wade into the fighting without fear of being flanked. Venerable allows it to keep moving and assaulting.
+++
Venerable skills;
Furious Charge gives +1 Initiative on the charge.
This means you get first strike against other Dreads, Wraithlords, Trygons and Mawlocs. It’s not bad and your local game could mean it is very useful, but generally I would say no.
Tank hunter gives +1 to penetration rolls.
Even your s10 DCCW gets the bonus because it is not a buff to strength.
Against AV 14;
ML and long range MM penetrate 1/6
LC 2/6
MM with MELTA 26/36 or 72% (instead of 58%)
AC 8/108 x 4 = 30% (instead of 15%)
That makes it worthwhile but not the most urgent of upgrades to take.
+++
Heavy Flamers, worthwhile?
It’s 8” template can seem too short compared to the nice 24” of the Storm bolter. And it costs a Neophyte. However, all it needs is one whoosh and whole squads of Aspect Warriors can disappear. One flame from it will kill 2 Marines from 9 consistently. That’s 30 pts from one shot. I have killed 14 Ard boyz in one well placed flame. That’s 14 Neophytes worth! Should you be charging a horde of Boyz, Hormagaunts, etc. the Heavy Flamer will kill far more of them with a single shot than will ever die to the bludgeonings of it’s fist.
So on Dreads that will be in the thick of it, like 1] and 2] they become a mandatory choice. Even 3] will benefit from being able to seriously dent any backfield marauders.
If you get behind Armour, the s5 flame can penetrate AV 10.
+++
Multi melta versus Assault Cannon.
The most common types of Dreadnought are the Multi melta and the Assault cannon armed ones. They just fit the Dreads in your face roll. So which one to choose?
Multi melta;
One shot (poor against infantry) Powerful (insta-kills 2+ save, multi wound t4 things).
+1 to damage rolls means even glances can result in Destroyed.
Within MELTA range, it is the most powerful Anti-tank weapon in the game.
Specialised.
Assault Cannon;
Multiple shots (excellent against 4+ save infantry) Rending (killing TEqs) gives it flexibility to hammer all Infantry.
Multiple rending shots actually means this gun is also better against Armour than a Las cannon.
Flexible.
Considering that the AC is cheaper and more flexible, it is a safe bet. I prefer the MM because I feel Crusader squads already can take out Infantry well and so I want to be better against armour.
I do take lots of Crusaders though. If you are light on Crusaders, the AC variant becomes more sound as it helps against infantry. Either choice is a good one.
+++
Drop Pod or Foot?
If you are using a Foot army, your Crusader squads will benefit greatly from having the Dreadnought alongside them. With Mech, they’ll be left behind and won’t be effective for two turns if you run them to keep up. However, a shooty Dread can happily move it’s 6” per turn and fire to full effect. That makes Podding much more necessary for either short mêlée Dread to be of use.
You can Pod in either of the Shooty Dreads, preferably behind the foe so you can rip into rear armour. This can make for a terrific diversion tactic. The foe now needs to re-arrange his Armour. In combination with a Pred attacking from the front, the Dread forces a dilemma upon him. Podding a Shooty Dread can also negate a foes speed. You have now occupied the once safe backfield that his, say, Falcons were zooming around in. The Shooty Dread has the reach and the positioning to make for a hard time. Shooty Dreads are still worthwhile in assaulting tanks, the 6” assault giving them good mobility and s6 attacks work reasonably against AV 10.
You can also Pod in the mêlée Dreads. What they lose in terms of a ML (which gives terrific reach straight into the rear armour, and even ML penetrate AV 10 fairly consistently) they swap for speed. They can rush from tank to tank, having an effective 12” of move each turn, with assaulting. The strength that the mêlée Dread has is, even if he gets Stunned or Shaken, he’ll still be effective because of being able to assault with such power. That s10 means tanks will consistently be taking damage rolls.
+++
So how does that compare with 3 deep striking Land speeders?
The Speeders have an advantage with 3 MM shots. But you wont be bringing them as a squadron and so will turn up willy-nilly. The Speeders have the benefit of being 3 AV 10 units, and so require at least three units shooting at them to take them out, whilst the Dread can be taken out with but one shot.
It really is a preference and local game choice to make. Both are good but are of more use in different circumstances. It is up to you to play both and see what suits you and brings success and your particular opponents.
Dreads can also tar-pit Devastator squads and join your Crusaders once they have crossed the table. A Death-wind Pod is great against infantry and with decent positioning you force the foe to deal with what was essentially just an envelope to deliver the Dread.
+++
Dreads versus Preds.
A Long shooty Dread brings a TL LC and a ML for 143 pts.
3-las Pred brings a TL LC and 2 LCs for 153 pts. The Pred is much better at long range AT, and having AV 13 means that it is tougher too, because side armour is harder to expose from a distance.
A Short shooty Dread brings an AC and a ML for 123 pts. The Dread can do both reasonably well and so warrants consideration.
Dakka Pred brings an Auto Cannon and 2 HBs for 118 pts. For AI the Pred wins
Combi Pred brings an Auto cannon and 2 LCs for 133 pts. For AT the Pred wins
+++
HOW I USE MY DREADNOUGHT WITH CRUSADERS.
Dreadnoughts can kill, quite reliably, 2 models a turn. Whether a Mega-armoured Warboss or a grot. 10 Crusaders can kill 10 boyz on the charge quite comfortably. They struggle against MegaNobz, however. 10 Crusaders shoot dead 3-4 boyz. The HF could net another 3-4 boyz. An AC will kill another 3 - but IMO you don't need that. You want a gun that can take out AV10 up to 14 reliably AND kill a Mega Nob one shot. That means a MM - unlikely for just a glance with melta rule & +2 damage versus most Ork Vehicles. This complements the Mg and PF the Crusaders bring.
The quality of Dread kills is complimented by the quantity of Crusader kills. A Dread will get tar-pitted by grots. Crusaders will, in effect, get tar-pitted by MegaNobz. Together, they cover one another's backs.
2 Melta shots from the duo is a good way to insta-kill MegaNobz & open transports for the assault. You have 3 DCCW and 2 PF attacks on them as well. That tank has got to open sooner or later!
The Crusaders RUN everyturn. The Dread chooses between the MM shot and RUNNING/Smoke in T1. The Crusaders do seem to get ahead of the Dread but that seems inevitable with wanting a good return from the optional RZ move and wanting to shoot the MM. The Dread will never be more than a turn away though.
*This is also where my Vindi choice comes in. As you can see the Dread has a great future with the Crusaders. With the Vindi getting the heat, that allows A] The 3-las-Pred to target anti-tank threats unmolested, further improving tank survivability, and B] Gets the Dread that much closer to his goal of cc, which provides cover against anti-tank shooting.... What a tricksy mind that hobbit has....
*I know MegaNobz are not an optimal Ork choice but they are quite good and have a good range of equivalents: Terminators, Wraithguard, Tyrant Guard/Warriors, Death Company and so on.
I hope I have shared something useful/ what was wanted to be heard.
HOW IT CAME TO BE.
It all came about from Game1 versus my brothers Orks. 1500pts. I took the EC and an AC HF Dread. I didn't have them especially near my squads. My entire force was annihilated, with a Weirdboy & Mob left standing. The Initiates did well against the boyz but the Warboss & Nobz just powered through me. Eventually, after me dilly-dallying, the EC fought the retinue and killed the Warboss.
I realised that Crusaders trump Boyz but are trumped by Nobz. The EC, a mere "level 2" character could kill the Nobz and the "level 3" Warboss. Hmmm.
On another part of the table the Dread had duffed over a mob of Trukk boyz, Burna Boyz and a Battle Wagon. Maybe more, I can't quite recall. He seemed colossal to both my brother and I. He was "in" - as far as I was concerned, for future lists.
A couple of things I noticed about the Dread. He was a legend! His shooting then charge would break 10 Ork Mobz and he'd run them down. But his cc wasn't "that" good. Sure he'd kill 2 a turn but pfff, who couldn't? It was apparent that his potential wasn't being reached against boyz. I had charged him into the Battlewagon when the tide was going against him. I figured he'd kill more in the explosion than he could with his own fist and I was right. I didn't like the AC though. It had a hard time getting through armour, so it got voted off the island.
Game2.
It was apparent the Crusaders needed an IC. I had three offence squads. I included a Castellan with poLC. The Castellan & EC both lead a squad. This left a squad and the Dread and they were put together. Friends ever since.
Mechanized Templars and Rhinos
With 4th ed. pricing, we pay nearly 50% more than UMs do for a Rhino.
Whilst there is no way of off-setting this hefty premium, it does not have to be as bad as it seems. Instead of being a midranged, shooty army like UM, we are a short ranged army. This means that Extra Armour and Smoke Launchers are practically essential for BT, and we get these for 8 points. That makes us only 8 pts over the equivalent UM Rhino.
See the Extra Armour and Smoke Launchers post for details.
+++
Movement and Defensive benefits;
Tanks are hardier in 5th ed due to changed Damage Tables. This makes them an excellent way of getting your Crusaders and Sword Brethren into the fray and saves premature casualties.
You could buy 3 Initiates and a Neophyte for the cost of your Rhino. Those extra men could be eating fire whilst you Righteous Zeal across the table. True. However, that assumes your foe only kills those four models during your cross the table journey.
Move+Run+Righteous Zeal gives you 6+d6+d6” of movement, making an average of 13”. This is comparable to the 12” the Rhino can give. However, you must lose a miniature every turn to be moving the equivalent rate.
It also assumes you don’t fail your RZ test, too. Two successful RZ moves gets undone by one failed one. Boo.
Consider your foe dropping an Ordnance template on you. Your mob of angry Templars has been decimated, and wont be able to do much once they arrive at their destination, regardless of moving an extra d6”.
Things like Dark Reapers will scythe down your precious Foot Templars before you can say Boo-hoo.
Being in Armour also takes away much of your foes shooting until your Crusaders are disembarked. Only Tau and Necron infantry can glance your Rhinos. All those s4 and less weapons (carried by most of the baddies army) are doing nothing whilst you are getting closer and closer to them....
This can be summed up by “Guns brought by baddies”. Imagine your foe has 3 Vindicators. Assuming accurate shooting and excellent damage rolls, each Vindicator can pop a Rhino. That shooting round will mean your Crusaders have lost their trusty steeds. That is all.
Had you been on Foot, given the same shooting rolls, you’d have three decimated squads. For your foe to get the same amount of damage against your Mechanised Templars, he would also need to be packing 3 Las Cannons (at least!) to get your Templars out of the Rhinos and then have his Vindicators kill your squads. Buying Rhinos is, in effect, increasing your unit count and that means he has to destroy one to get to the other.
So the Rhino gives you control over your move rate and your casualties.
+++
Mêlée benefits;
Your Rhino has side and rear exit points. That means that by deploying with 2” of a door, adding the 25mm base size, your squad can then move from in line with the front of the Rhino.
T2, 12” + 12” (deploy, move and assault) = 24”
T3, 24” + 12” (deploy, move and assault) = 36”
You have covered a lot of ground and have a long and effective reach for assaults. Nice.
Now onto the shocking. BT are not the most deadly assault army in all circumstances. This is shown when your TROOPS get targeted by other FOC slot units. Killa Kanz, Howling Banshees and the like will all shred your Crusaders. The Rhino allows you to evade such mêlée brutes. The Killa Kanz successfully blow up your Rhino with shooting. Then you deploy your squad on the far side of the Rhino and deny him the assault.
Phew! That allows you to pour fire into those Killa Kanz with the rest of your army, and even the Melta gun your squad is carrying. Thank you Rhino. Had you not had a Rhino but been on Foot, your Crusaders would be hammered and dread-locked.
+++
TANK SHOCKING;
This is not deadly. It can be very useful though. It allows you to bunch up enemy units for flamers and templates. If your enemy is packing Power fists or Melta guns, you can avoid these guys by not driving on them. Conversely, it can be worth risking the Rhino to run over the Anti-tank guy if your, say, Dreadnought is nearby and about to cop a MELTA shot. Even if the Rhinos blows up, you can still take the enemy out with that explosion.
Many Orks have died when attacking my Rhinos. Sometimes the value of the Rhino or greater! Sometimes a chance is worth taking. Sure Ld 10 means the baddies will probably pass. But in a game of chance, if you can cause those, say, 20 Necrons or Chaos Marines to flee, it is very disruptive. Keep a unit within 6” and the fleeing unit can be escorted off the table or even just out of the game for a turn or two.
THE FERRET;
Your foe has units in woods. Instead of assaulting at i1, dismount your squad to the side of your Rhino and move them alongside/past the woods. Tank shock the enemy unit. Providing you don’t roll a 1 for your terrain test, even if the enemy unit doesn’t fail the tank shock test, because he must be 1” away from the Rhino, you can still herd him so that half of the unit is not in cover, then assault him and not through cover.
THE MOBILE BUNKER; *disclaimer; I have not yet used this in play*
You don’t have be killing to be effective. This is something everyone needs to have in mind. Yes, having a unit being able to get a return in its points cost is good and is a neat idea to have when determining the potential effect of your unit. This is not the only way a unit contributes to your victory. See the Vindicator post 11 for an idea on that.
Besides being fire-magnets, other uses can include bubble wrap, move block, area denial and uncertain arrival. Being in a Rhino, and not just racing towards a unit to smash them in mêlée, is the point of the Bunker. You zoom forwards to an objective or other choice piece of ground and remain in the Rhino. This forces your foe to destroy the Rhino to evict its passengers. Whilst hanging out in their ride, your Crusaders can use the Rhinos two fire points to fire a heavy and special weapon from.
Which heavy weapon works best in such a unit?
Your Crusaders already do a god job against infantry, and so Plasma cannons, Heavy bolters and Missile launchers are adding what your men already are good at. I believe AT is what you really need. You’ll be close to the enemy. That means Las cannons, whose strength is reach amongst other things, are less useful. The short but deadly Multi melta has its weakness undone by moving to occupy the desired ground. Should enemy Armour come within Melta range, so much the better.
Note that because it is infantry mounted, you must remain stationary to fire the MM. This makes the unit of different application than a Razorback, who can move every turn at 6” and fire its tl LC.
Which special weapon is the most useful?
The Power fist and weapon are out. Ideally, the unit will remain inside and any benefit these bring will be minimal at best.
1] Plasma guns have a synergy with the MM, in having 24” range and being able to RF within 12”. This gives three TEq popping shots that also affect Armour.
2] Melta guns can add to what the MM is already bringing. Within 12” you get two shots, one MELTA, and within 6” you get two MELTA shots!
It also gives back some mobility to the Rhino, as you can move 6” and fire the Mg. That mobility can put you out of reach of the foe, change mêlée hits from auto to 4+ and allow you to tank shock.
3] Flamers are an interesting contrast to the MM. In much the same way as the LC/Flamer Crusader squad, the two weapons cover one another’s weaknesses. They have the same flexibility as the dreaded MM HF Speeder. If your Bunker squad is small, the flamer will add much to your pre-assault shooting and cover the lack of men you will be using in mêlée. You can also use the frustrating drive-by tactic to flame enemy infantry from the safety of your Rhino, perhaps even using tank shock to herd them into a compact formation.
Squad size in the Bunker;
A five man squad with a HW & SW seem to offer the optimum points outlay for what you get.
Once I try these MM Bunkers, I will then see how they go with 10 men. You will be evicted from the Rhino sooner or later and perhaps a more robust sized squad is a better idea. I will edit this once I have field tested it.
+++
“And that’ll be $13.55, please ”
There will come a point when your passengers have no need of re-entering the transport. They could all be dead, or they could be ravaging those vile enemies of The Emperor in fearsome mêlée. Your Rhinos can now make a nuisance of themselves, using their storm bolter to snipe targets, tank shocking, ramming, move-blocking and TLOS blocking.
Your squad could be charged by a nasty unit, or even just dread-locked or tar-pitted. Interpose your Rhino in between and your problem is fixed for a turn. You have one Pred and he has two? Use your Rhino to block TLOS to one so you can duel one-on-one for a while. Nasty Meltas are threatening your Dreadnought? Use your Rhino.
*If you are going to buy Rhinos, if you’re not getting second-hand ones for cheap, make sure you buy a Razorback. It costs only a little more but now you can bring one of two tanks to a game.
Whilst there is no way of off-setting this hefty premium, it does not have to be as bad as it seems. Instead of being a midranged, shooty army like UM, we are a short ranged army. This means that Extra Armour and Smoke Launchers are practically essential for BT, and we get these for 8 points. That makes us only 8 pts over the equivalent UM Rhino.
See the Extra Armour and Smoke Launchers post for details.
+++
Movement and Defensive benefits;
Tanks are hardier in 5th ed due to changed Damage Tables. This makes them an excellent way of getting your Crusaders and Sword Brethren into the fray and saves premature casualties.
You could buy 3 Initiates and a Neophyte for the cost of your Rhino. Those extra men could be eating fire whilst you Righteous Zeal across the table. True. However, that assumes your foe only kills those four models during your cross the table journey.
Move+Run+Righteous Zeal gives you 6+d6+d6” of movement, making an average of 13”. This is comparable to the 12” the Rhino can give. However, you must lose a miniature every turn to be moving the equivalent rate.
It also assumes you don’t fail your RZ test, too. Two successful RZ moves gets undone by one failed one. Boo.
Consider your foe dropping an Ordnance template on you. Your mob of angry Templars has been decimated, and wont be able to do much once they arrive at their destination, regardless of moving an extra d6”.
Things like Dark Reapers will scythe down your precious Foot Templars before you can say Boo-hoo.
Being in Armour also takes away much of your foes shooting until your Crusaders are disembarked. Only Tau and Necron infantry can glance your Rhinos. All those s4 and less weapons (carried by most of the baddies army) are doing nothing whilst you are getting closer and closer to them....
This can be summed up by “Guns brought by baddies”. Imagine your foe has 3 Vindicators. Assuming accurate shooting and excellent damage rolls, each Vindicator can pop a Rhino. That shooting round will mean your Crusaders have lost their trusty steeds. That is all.
Had you been on Foot, given the same shooting rolls, you’d have three decimated squads. For your foe to get the same amount of damage against your Mechanised Templars, he would also need to be packing 3 Las Cannons (at least!) to get your Templars out of the Rhinos and then have his Vindicators kill your squads. Buying Rhinos is, in effect, increasing your unit count and that means he has to destroy one to get to the other.
So the Rhino gives you control over your move rate and your casualties.
+++
Mêlée benefits;
Your Rhino has side and rear exit points. That means that by deploying with 2” of a door, adding the 25mm base size, your squad can then move from in line with the front of the Rhino.
T2, 12” + 12” (deploy, move and assault) = 24”
T3, 24” + 12” (deploy, move and assault) = 36”
You have covered a lot of ground and have a long and effective reach for assaults. Nice.
Now onto the shocking. BT are not the most deadly assault army in all circumstances. This is shown when your TROOPS get targeted by other FOC slot units. Killa Kanz, Howling Banshees and the like will all shred your Crusaders. The Rhino allows you to evade such mêlée brutes. The Killa Kanz successfully blow up your Rhino with shooting. Then you deploy your squad on the far side of the Rhino and deny him the assault.
Phew! That allows you to pour fire into those Killa Kanz with the rest of your army, and even the Melta gun your squad is carrying. Thank you Rhino. Had you not had a Rhino but been on Foot, your Crusaders would be hammered and dread-locked.
+++
TANK SHOCKING;
This is not deadly. It can be very useful though. It allows you to bunch up enemy units for flamers and templates. If your enemy is packing Power fists or Melta guns, you can avoid these guys by not driving on them. Conversely, it can be worth risking the Rhino to run over the Anti-tank guy if your, say, Dreadnought is nearby and about to cop a MELTA shot. Even if the Rhinos blows up, you can still take the enemy out with that explosion.
Many Orks have died when attacking my Rhinos. Sometimes the value of the Rhino or greater! Sometimes a chance is worth taking. Sure Ld 10 means the baddies will probably pass. But in a game of chance, if you can cause those, say, 20 Necrons or Chaos Marines to flee, it is very disruptive. Keep a unit within 6” and the fleeing unit can be escorted off the table or even just out of the game for a turn or two.
THE FERRET;
Your foe has units in woods. Instead of assaulting at i1, dismount your squad to the side of your Rhino and move them alongside/past the woods. Tank shock the enemy unit. Providing you don’t roll a 1 for your terrain test, even if the enemy unit doesn’t fail the tank shock test, because he must be 1” away from the Rhino, you can still herd him so that half of the unit is not in cover, then assault him and not through cover.
THE MOBILE BUNKER; *disclaimer; I have not yet used this in play*
You don’t have be killing to be effective. This is something everyone needs to have in mind. Yes, having a unit being able to get a return in its points cost is good and is a neat idea to have when determining the potential effect of your unit. This is not the only way a unit contributes to your victory. See the Vindicator post 11 for an idea on that.
Besides being fire-magnets, other uses can include bubble wrap, move block, area denial and uncertain arrival. Being in a Rhino, and not just racing towards a unit to smash them in mêlée, is the point of the Bunker. You zoom forwards to an objective or other choice piece of ground and remain in the Rhino. This forces your foe to destroy the Rhino to evict its passengers. Whilst hanging out in their ride, your Crusaders can use the Rhinos two fire points to fire a heavy and special weapon from.
Which heavy weapon works best in such a unit?
Your Crusaders already do a god job against infantry, and so Plasma cannons, Heavy bolters and Missile launchers are adding what your men already are good at. I believe AT is what you really need. You’ll be close to the enemy. That means Las cannons, whose strength is reach amongst other things, are less useful. The short but deadly Multi melta has its weakness undone by moving to occupy the desired ground. Should enemy Armour come within Melta range, so much the better.
Note that because it is infantry mounted, you must remain stationary to fire the MM. This makes the unit of different application than a Razorback, who can move every turn at 6” and fire its tl LC.
Which special weapon is the most useful?
The Power fist and weapon are out. Ideally, the unit will remain inside and any benefit these bring will be minimal at best.
1] Plasma guns have a synergy with the MM, in having 24” range and being able to RF within 12”. This gives three TEq popping shots that also affect Armour.
2] Melta guns can add to what the MM is already bringing. Within 12” you get two shots, one MELTA, and within 6” you get two MELTA shots!
It also gives back some mobility to the Rhino, as you can move 6” and fire the Mg. That mobility can put you out of reach of the foe, change mêlée hits from auto to 4+ and allow you to tank shock.
3] Flamers are an interesting contrast to the MM. In much the same way as the LC/Flamer Crusader squad, the two weapons cover one another’s weaknesses. They have the same flexibility as the dreaded MM HF Speeder. If your Bunker squad is small, the flamer will add much to your pre-assault shooting and cover the lack of men you will be using in mêlée. You can also use the frustrating drive-by tactic to flame enemy infantry from the safety of your Rhino, perhaps even using tank shock to herd them into a compact formation.
Squad size in the Bunker;
A five man squad with a HW & SW seem to offer the optimum points outlay for what you get.
Once I try these MM Bunkers, I will then see how they go with 10 men. You will be evicted from the Rhino sooner or later and perhaps a more robust sized squad is a better idea. I will edit this once I have field tested it.
+++
“And that’ll be $13.55, please ”
There will come a point when your passengers have no need of re-entering the transport. They could all be dead, or they could be ravaging those vile enemies of The Emperor in fearsome mêlée. Your Rhinos can now make a nuisance of themselves, using their storm bolter to snipe targets, tank shocking, ramming, move-blocking and TLOS blocking.
Your squad could be charged by a nasty unit, or even just dread-locked or tar-pitted. Interpose your Rhino in between and your problem is fixed for a turn. You have one Pred and he has two? Use your Rhino to block TLOS to one so you can duel one-on-one for a while. Nasty Meltas are threatening your Dreadnought? Use your Rhino.
*If you are going to buy Rhinos, if you’re not getting second-hand ones for cheap, make sure you buy a Razorback. It costs only a little more but now you can bring one of two tanks to a game.
Black Templars Land Speeders
Our best FAST ATTACK unit.
The cheapest way of getting Multi-meltas onto the table, the most manoeuvrable and not competing with Dreadnoughts or Terminators in the FOC. Brilliant.
+++
Multi meltas;
They are primarily a vehicle that brings the fearsome Multi-melta to the table. Having a 12” MELTA range and being able to deep-strike or move 12” is a powerful combination. The 24” threat bubble is the term I’ll be using, though I did not coin the phrase.
1 shot. 4/6 hit. 5/36 glance & 21/36 penetrate AV 14. 1/6 destroy & 3/6 destroy = 272/1296 or 20.99%
21% is nothing to bank on, but if you think that is a 250+ pt tank gone, that makes it more interesting....
and generally the odds get better from there....
This makes the Multi melta Land Speeder a fantastic Anti Tank buy. For so little outlay, you get a potential Goliath slayer.
+++
Heavy bolters and Assault cannons;
I just don’t think that points wise, they are a good idea for Templars.
A Dakka Pred costs 118 pts (which is expensive, by the way)
2 Preds is 240
5 Speeders cost a similar price.
That’s 4 HB + 2 Auto cannons (in AV 13/11) against 5 HB (in AV 10).
The Predators bring more shots in a tougher shell.
How about with Assault cannons?
Assault Cannons are amazing. They can shred Medium Infantry and do better against Armour than Las cannons. Even with such flexibility, they don’t do as well against Armour as a Multi melta does, and when you are paying 15 pts more for the HB + AC combination, I don’t think you are buying something that your force really needs.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the general rule.
Dark Eldar do not need the Multi melta grunt, and the Anti Infantry rip that a HB + AC brings, plus being solid against AV 10, will work well against them. Craftworld Eldar don’t have much in the way of choice Armour targets, and the Wave Serpent ignores MELTA for penetration. They do have lots of expensive Medium Infantry though....Daemons and Tyranids have such little Armour between them, the torrent of the fire brought by HB + AC is far more useful
+++
Heavy Flamers;
These do merit thinking about.
A Heavy Flamer is a horrific weapon that incinerates anything not MEq or better. All it needs is one whoosh and whole squads of Aspect Warriors can disappear. One flame from it will kill 2 Marines from 9 consistently. That’s 30 pts from one shot. I have killed 14 Ard boyz in one well placed flame. That’s 14 Neophytes worth! It’s ability to kill infantry is unquestionable.
The harder to answer question is, does it help the Land Speeder?
1] The Land Speeder is being bought to pop Armour. Anything that doesn’t contribute another effective gun is a waste of points and dilutes the purpose of the unit. TRUE.
2] The Land Speeder is being bought to pop Armour.... then what? After running out of targets, the Multi melta is quite useless as general purpose gun (although TEq will still be a good choice). For the cost of a Neophyte you turn the one trick pony into a 2-D unit. It is already close to the foe ~ you will already be within 12” to use the MELTA effectively. Being able to switch to Flame as opportunities present themselves is valuable. TRUE.
3] Deploying via deep-strike brings randomness to where the Speeder shows up. Games themselves are chaotic events and your foe and dice do not always follow your carefully crafted plan. It is nice to be able to switch to Flame should you scatter away from that Armour and right next to that infantry squad (who can destroy the Speeder with light-arms fire)
4] Survivability and Function is added with a second weapon. If your foe rolls a gun destroyed against your Speeder, it is nearly useless. If he rolls that result a second time, your Speeder is destroyed. With a second weapon, that is no longer true. If he destroys the Multi melta, you still have the Flamer, which can penetrate AV 10....
I am not saying Heavy Flamers are compulsory, but I am saying they are worth thinking about, and seem to have been written off because the complementary nature they have with the Multi melta might not be apparent straight away.
Editor's Note: For a mere 10 points, you gain duality. Take them if you're taking MM Land Speeders. Every time. Without exception.
+++
Deployment;
The real choice when using LS is how to get them into the fray.
Deep strike;
They can be deployed via deep-strike much like a kamikaze pilot, in an attempt to destroy that choice target. All or nothing.
This tactic gains tenability in an All Drop Pod army due to safety in numbers.
Roughly 3/6 your army shows up on T2, and another 2/6 on T3.
With so much MELTA turning up on his flank, you’ll be making some kind of a dent on his Armour and reduce returning firepower.
They don’t need to be used so rashly, even from deep-strike. Terrain, flank positioning and attack co-ordination are all sound ideas. Just because they can be thrown at the enemy doesn’t mean they have to be.
Reserves;
Another option is keeping them as Reserves and then coming on from a table edge. Having that 24” bubble from all valid edges means that you can hit anything that moves into your half of the table. Foes that don’t have a fire-base or deploy as a gun-line (Khorne CSM, new Blood Angels, etc.) will be keen to cross the table to hit you in cc. You don’t have to rely on the scatter dice to get into as good a position because they are already coming to you.
Forces that can deploy via flanking moves (Space Wolf Scouts, White Scars, etc.) also deploy in a very forwards position, making them more vulnerable to your reserves.
By keeping them in reserve, you reduce the incoming fire they will suffer from (especially useful on tables without much terrain). Thirdly, the Land Speeder can be deployed on the table top from T1. This is safer if you have managed to get the 1st Turn, because you will then be able to move in sweet spots before the enemy gets a chance to gun them down. As long as they have been put in a wise position (behind a Land Raider, terrain, etc.) and can weather any incoming fire because of your wise set-up, you can even use this deployment if you haven’t managed to get the 1st Turn.
Set-up in the Deployment Phase;
Deploying on the board has an effect in the same vein as what the Vindicator does, albeit less dramatic, and it’s called perceived threat.
The ferocity of it’s gun can alter your foe’s deployment, how he moves and what he shoots at. Being able to get the most deadly shot against Armour within 24” is something that makes your foe think twice. Winning games isn’t just killing him better or claiming more objectives. It is imposing your will on the game and having it played your way. Killing and objectives are just manifestations of that.
Deploying on the table means you aren’t left waiting for nice reserves rolls to bring the Speeder on. It is probable that they will show up by T3, but when they don’t it can scupper your plans. This is never an issue for the already on table Speeder. All you have to do is put them somewhere safe....
+++
How to keep AV 10 alive?
No squadrons;
It is brittle and even light-arms fire can destroy one in a squadron or that has moved flat-out.
Not using them in squadrons is a solid way of reduce enemy fire from getting good value for their shots. An enemy Predator could kill 3 Land Speeders in a unit, but if they are kept as singles, the Predator will never get that opportunity and only get one kill per volley. That immobilised counts as destroyed (when deployed in squadrons) is pretty savage for these already lightweight vehicles.
Safety in the pack;
Another tactic is to run multiple pieces of AV 10-12.
The idea is that your foe will have a mix of guns. As you are running many at AV 10-12, his missile launchers and auto cannons will be overworked trying to bring them down, whilst his melta guns and las cannons will find themselves out of range or not enjoying enough volume of fire to be as effective as they are against AV 14.
You flood him with Rhinos, Razorbacks, Drop pods, Dreadnoughts (though they are perhaps a little too pricey, contextually speaking) and Speeders and give him less obvious choices to gun for.
+++
Typhoon launcher;
Our 4th ed. Typhoon launcher is sadly not up to Ultra Marine quality and we miss out on the very useful 2 krak missiles a turn. One accurate ‘strong’ frag missile attack contributes little to our shooting when compared to the ferocity of the Multi-melta or Heavy flamer.
+++
Flat-out movement and Contesting Objectives;
Flat-out movement (moving >12" up to 24") cuts down on the shooting that the Speeder can do, which means it will take more incoming fire because it hasn’t reduced the foes potential. Which is counter-productive to the extra 4++ save the Speeder gets from the move. Unless you have a specific aim or nothing else worthwhile to do, don’t move flat-out without need.
However, it is a decent ploy though for the last turn of the game. The Speeder appears from 24” away to contest an objective, and the extra save is welcome for keeping it alive. Ironically, contesting objectives is perhaps the most game winning thing this high-powered tank busting, but flimsy, unit can do.
+++
These are an excellent unit. Like the Assault squad, Speeders require kid gloves to keep them alive. However, they will far out perform anything else is the FAST ATTACK choices. I believe Crusader squads are excellent TROOPS and do well against their equivalent numbers. What they struggle with is Armour. Speeders are an excellent way of bringing highly mobile and effective AT firepower to a Templar army.
The cheapest way of getting Multi-meltas onto the table, the most manoeuvrable and not competing with Dreadnoughts or Terminators in the FOC. Brilliant.
+++
Multi meltas;
They are primarily a vehicle that brings the fearsome Multi-melta to the table. Having a 12” MELTA range and being able to deep-strike or move 12” is a powerful combination. The 24” threat bubble is the term I’ll be using, though I did not coin the phrase.
1 shot. 4/6 hit. 5/36 glance & 21/36 penetrate AV 14. 1/6 destroy & 3/6 destroy = 272/1296 or 20.99%
21% is nothing to bank on, but if you think that is a 250+ pt tank gone, that makes it more interesting....
and generally the odds get better from there....
This makes the Multi melta Land Speeder a fantastic Anti Tank buy. For so little outlay, you get a potential Goliath slayer.
+++
Heavy bolters and Assault cannons;
I just don’t think that points wise, they are a good idea for Templars.
A Dakka Pred costs 118 pts (which is expensive, by the way)
2 Preds is 240
5 Speeders cost a similar price.
That’s 4 HB + 2 Auto cannons (in AV 13/11) against 5 HB (in AV 10).
The Predators bring more shots in a tougher shell.
How about with Assault cannons?
Assault Cannons are amazing. They can shred Medium Infantry and do better against Armour than Las cannons. Even with such flexibility, they don’t do as well against Armour as a Multi melta does, and when you are paying 15 pts more for the HB + AC combination, I don’t think you are buying something that your force really needs.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the general rule.
Dark Eldar do not need the Multi melta grunt, and the Anti Infantry rip that a HB + AC brings, plus being solid against AV 10, will work well against them. Craftworld Eldar don’t have much in the way of choice Armour targets, and the Wave Serpent ignores MELTA for penetration. They do have lots of expensive Medium Infantry though....Daemons and Tyranids have such little Armour between them, the torrent of the fire brought by HB + AC is far more useful
+++
Heavy Flamers;
These do merit thinking about.
A Heavy Flamer is a horrific weapon that incinerates anything not MEq or better. All it needs is one whoosh and whole squads of Aspect Warriors can disappear. One flame from it will kill 2 Marines from 9 consistently. That’s 30 pts from one shot. I have killed 14 Ard boyz in one well placed flame. That’s 14 Neophytes worth! It’s ability to kill infantry is unquestionable.
The harder to answer question is, does it help the Land Speeder?
1] The Land Speeder is being bought to pop Armour. Anything that doesn’t contribute another effective gun is a waste of points and dilutes the purpose of the unit. TRUE.
2] The Land Speeder is being bought to pop Armour.... then what? After running out of targets, the Multi melta is quite useless as general purpose gun (although TEq will still be a good choice). For the cost of a Neophyte you turn the one trick pony into a 2-D unit. It is already close to the foe ~ you will already be within 12” to use the MELTA effectively. Being able to switch to Flame as opportunities present themselves is valuable. TRUE.
3] Deploying via deep-strike brings randomness to where the Speeder shows up. Games themselves are chaotic events and your foe and dice do not always follow your carefully crafted plan. It is nice to be able to switch to Flame should you scatter away from that Armour and right next to that infantry squad (who can destroy the Speeder with light-arms fire)
4] Survivability and Function is added with a second weapon. If your foe rolls a gun destroyed against your Speeder, it is nearly useless. If he rolls that result a second time, your Speeder is destroyed. With a second weapon, that is no longer true. If he destroys the Multi melta, you still have the Flamer, which can penetrate AV 10....
I am not saying Heavy Flamers are compulsory, but I am saying they are worth thinking about, and seem to have been written off because the complementary nature they have with the Multi melta might not be apparent straight away.
Editor's Note: For a mere 10 points, you gain duality. Take them if you're taking MM Land Speeders. Every time. Without exception.
+++
Deployment;
The real choice when using LS is how to get them into the fray.
Deep strike;
They can be deployed via deep-strike much like a kamikaze pilot, in an attempt to destroy that choice target. All or nothing.
This tactic gains tenability in an All Drop Pod army due to safety in numbers.
Roughly 3/6 your army shows up on T2, and another 2/6 on T3.
With so much MELTA turning up on his flank, you’ll be making some kind of a dent on his Armour and reduce returning firepower.
They don’t need to be used so rashly, even from deep-strike. Terrain, flank positioning and attack co-ordination are all sound ideas. Just because they can be thrown at the enemy doesn’t mean they have to be.
Reserves;
Another option is keeping them as Reserves and then coming on from a table edge. Having that 24” bubble from all valid edges means that you can hit anything that moves into your half of the table. Foes that don’t have a fire-base or deploy as a gun-line (Khorne CSM, new Blood Angels, etc.) will be keen to cross the table to hit you in cc. You don’t have to rely on the scatter dice to get into as good a position because they are already coming to you.
Forces that can deploy via flanking moves (Space Wolf Scouts, White Scars, etc.) also deploy in a very forwards position, making them more vulnerable to your reserves.
By keeping them in reserve, you reduce the incoming fire they will suffer from (especially useful on tables without much terrain). Thirdly, the Land Speeder can be deployed on the table top from T1. This is safer if you have managed to get the 1st Turn, because you will then be able to move in sweet spots before the enemy gets a chance to gun them down. As long as they have been put in a wise position (behind a Land Raider, terrain, etc.) and can weather any incoming fire because of your wise set-up, you can even use this deployment if you haven’t managed to get the 1st Turn.
Set-up in the Deployment Phase;
Deploying on the board has an effect in the same vein as what the Vindicator does, albeit less dramatic, and it’s called perceived threat.
The ferocity of it’s gun can alter your foe’s deployment, how he moves and what he shoots at. Being able to get the most deadly shot against Armour within 24” is something that makes your foe think twice. Winning games isn’t just killing him better or claiming more objectives. It is imposing your will on the game and having it played your way. Killing and objectives are just manifestations of that.
Deploying on the table means you aren’t left waiting for nice reserves rolls to bring the Speeder on. It is probable that they will show up by T3, but when they don’t it can scupper your plans. This is never an issue for the already on table Speeder. All you have to do is put them somewhere safe....
+++
How to keep AV 10 alive?
No squadrons;
It is brittle and even light-arms fire can destroy one in a squadron or that has moved flat-out.
Not using them in squadrons is a solid way of reduce enemy fire from getting good value for their shots. An enemy Predator could kill 3 Land Speeders in a unit, but if they are kept as singles, the Predator will never get that opportunity and only get one kill per volley. That immobilised counts as destroyed (when deployed in squadrons) is pretty savage for these already lightweight vehicles.
Safety in the pack;
Another tactic is to run multiple pieces of AV 10-12.
The idea is that your foe will have a mix of guns. As you are running many at AV 10-12, his missile launchers and auto cannons will be overworked trying to bring them down, whilst his melta guns and las cannons will find themselves out of range or not enjoying enough volume of fire to be as effective as they are against AV 14.
You flood him with Rhinos, Razorbacks, Drop pods, Dreadnoughts (though they are perhaps a little too pricey, contextually speaking) and Speeders and give him less obvious choices to gun for.
+++
Typhoon launcher;
Our 4th ed. Typhoon launcher is sadly not up to Ultra Marine quality and we miss out on the very useful 2 krak missiles a turn. One accurate ‘strong’ frag missile attack contributes little to our shooting when compared to the ferocity of the Multi-melta or Heavy flamer.
+++
Flat-out movement and Contesting Objectives;
Flat-out movement (moving >12" up to 24") cuts down on the shooting that the Speeder can do, which means it will take more incoming fire because it hasn’t reduced the foes potential. Which is counter-productive to the extra 4++ save the Speeder gets from the move. Unless you have a specific aim or nothing else worthwhile to do, don’t move flat-out without need.
However, it is a decent ploy though for the last turn of the game. The Speeder appears from 24” away to contest an objective, and the extra save is welcome for keeping it alive. Ironically, contesting objectives is perhaps the most game winning thing this high-powered tank busting, but flimsy, unit can do.
+++
These are an excellent unit. Like the Assault squad, Speeders require kid gloves to keep them alive. However, they will far out perform anything else is the FAST ATTACK choices. I believe Crusader squads are excellent TROOPS and do well against their equivalent numbers. What they struggle with is Armour. Speeders are an excellent way of bringing highly mobile and effective AT firepower to a Templar army.
Black Templars Predators
Due to 4th ed. pricing, we get to field 3-las Preds for 27 cheaper than the Ultramarine version.
Our Combi Preds (las sponsons, AC turret) are 2 points cheaper.
Our Dakka Preds (heavy bolter sponsons, AC turret) are 18 points more expensive.
*All the following are optioned with extra armour and smoke, which is so cheap and effective it should be near compulsory.
Fortunately for us, we need more Anti Tank shots than we do Anti Infantry, due to our Crusaders doing such a good job against the foes men.
What the Pred offers is 3 heavy weapons that can shoot into the enemy deployment zone from T1. Sweet. In the same way as kicking an ants nest gets an excited response, so does being able to hit them from the get go.
That reach is such a boon for a cc army like ours. Usually we are the ones who have to cover no man’s land into the teeth of enemy fire. Anything to lessen that is worth thinking about, at the very least. Suppression fire cuts down on casualties and your Armour getting hit.
Alternatively, your foe could be speedy and chasing things around with Rhinos wears thin quickly. Range can equate to speed in this circumstance.
Las Cannons are not the best AT weapons we have (probably the Multi Melta and Demolisher cannon wrestle for that title) but with double the range, the effectiveness of them goes up and lets them add something those shorter armed guns cannot. Being able to pop tranports before they have started rolling, strings the foes forces out. Being able to silence (even if it is by shake/stunning) a Basilisk is something the rest of your forces will appreciate.
Combi or 3-las?
Combi is a good tank (priced correctly, according to 5th ed. Marines) that can take AV 10-12 pretty well. At 20 pts less, it is a decent buy. The extra shots work well against mid-weight things.
3-las is a good buy for just 20 pts more. If you can spare the points, go for it. 89% accuracy is a good thing.
In 40K there is a cross over point between weapons that have a high volume of shots (Assault cannon) and one good shot (Las cannon). The Assault cannon proves you can out-perform a Las cannon’s quality with enough quantity (and rending). This usually has a cross over point when quantity overcomes quality (which also needs to take into account range) and is altered by the points each system costs.
I believe that the Twin linked Las cannon (compared to the Auto Cannon) is a bargain for it’s price. If you haven’t tried it and have written it off, give it a try over a few games. If after a few games you still don’t like it, then you’ve lost nothing.... except for a few games....
In the style of Japanese business ~ “Please consider”
Squadrons are particularly susceptible to the multiple shots (which means you are not wasting points killing one Land speeder really dead, for example) and they suffer a Destroy on a result of an Immobilise (except for the last remaining tank if hit in subsequent turns) boosting your destroyed chances from 33 to 50%
For those concerned about the 1-Dimensionalness of las sponsoned Preds, they do make their living against Armour and Light Armour Squadrons in particular. However, many armies do have expensive heavy infantry that will be vaporised by the las cannons, should those targets not present themselves (or run out....)
These are choice targets for a 3-las Pred
Mega Nobz, Killa Kanz (squadrons) and Battle wagons against Orks.
Terminators, Land speeder (squadrons) and Vindicators against Marines.
All Heavy Support, All HQ, Lictors broods, Pyrovore broods and Tyranid Warriors against Tyranids.
All HQs, All Elites and Soulgrinders for Daemons
This means that the menu for Predators, truthfully, will be slimmer than something more adaptable. The pickings are still there, however. So one Predator is generally the most to take to a 1500 pt game, and with two you could find they run out of optimum targets (including those of the above list)
This could make the Combi Pred more viable in a 1000 pt game, for example, due to being cheaper and not so Armour focused.
*Your particular location's meta-game can alter this of course.
What the Predator needs is someone to provide a distraction so it can carry on doing it’s job. It’s brother, the Vindicator, provides the “Oi! Over here! ~ I’m about to kill you” distraction that the Predator needs.
Drop Pod Dreadnoughts and LRC full of something are also viable as the distraction.
Editor's Note: It is my opinion that if you're taking Predators for AT purposes, you NEED to make them AC/Las. The alternative, though cheaper than the Vanilla counterparts, is still too many points. They also provide zero duality. At least the AC/Las Predator is cheap at only 125 points and if all else fails, it has one more shot than the Tri-Las.
Our Combi Preds (las sponsons, AC turret) are 2 points cheaper.
Our Dakka Preds (heavy bolter sponsons, AC turret) are 18 points more expensive.
*All the following are optioned with extra armour and smoke, which is so cheap and effective it should be near compulsory.
Fortunately for us, we need more Anti Tank shots than we do Anti Infantry, due to our Crusaders doing such a good job against the foes men.
What the Pred offers is 3 heavy weapons that can shoot into the enemy deployment zone from T1. Sweet. In the same way as kicking an ants nest gets an excited response, so does being able to hit them from the get go.
That reach is such a boon for a cc army like ours. Usually we are the ones who have to cover no man’s land into the teeth of enemy fire. Anything to lessen that is worth thinking about, at the very least. Suppression fire cuts down on casualties and your Armour getting hit.
Alternatively, your foe could be speedy and chasing things around with Rhinos wears thin quickly. Range can equate to speed in this circumstance.
Las Cannons are not the best AT weapons we have (probably the Multi Melta and Demolisher cannon wrestle for that title) but with double the range, the effectiveness of them goes up and lets them add something those shorter armed guns cannot. Being able to pop tranports before they have started rolling, strings the foes forces out. Being able to silence (even if it is by shake/stunning) a Basilisk is something the rest of your forces will appreciate.
Combi or 3-las?
Combi is a good tank (priced correctly, according to 5th ed. Marines) that can take AV 10-12 pretty well. At 20 pts less, it is a decent buy. The extra shots work well against mid-weight things.
3-las is a good buy for just 20 pts more. If you can spare the points, go for it. 89% accuracy is a good thing.
In 40K there is a cross over point between weapons that have a high volume of shots (Assault cannon) and one good shot (Las cannon). The Assault cannon proves you can out-perform a Las cannon’s quality with enough quantity (and rending). This usually has a cross over point when quantity overcomes quality (which also needs to take into account range) and is altered by the points each system costs.
I believe that the Twin linked Las cannon (compared to the Auto Cannon) is a bargain for it’s price. If you haven’t tried it and have written it off, give it a try over a few games. If after a few games you still don’t like it, then you’ve lost nothing.... except for a few games....
In the style of Japanese business ~ “Please consider”
Squadrons are particularly susceptible to the multiple shots (which means you are not wasting points killing one Land speeder really dead, for example) and they suffer a Destroy on a result of an Immobilise (except for the last remaining tank if hit in subsequent turns) boosting your destroyed chances from 33 to 50%
For those concerned about the 1-Dimensionalness of las sponsoned Preds, they do make their living against Armour and Light Armour Squadrons in particular. However, many armies do have expensive heavy infantry that will be vaporised by the las cannons, should those targets not present themselves (or run out....)
These are choice targets for a 3-las Pred
Mega Nobz, Killa Kanz (squadrons) and Battle wagons against Orks.
Terminators, Land speeder (squadrons) and Vindicators against Marines.
All Heavy Support, All HQ, Lictors broods, Pyrovore broods and Tyranid Warriors against Tyranids.
All HQs, All Elites and Soulgrinders for Daemons
This means that the menu for Predators, truthfully, will be slimmer than something more adaptable. The pickings are still there, however. So one Predator is generally the most to take to a 1500 pt game, and with two you could find they run out of optimum targets (including those of the above list)
This could make the Combi Pred more viable in a 1000 pt game, for example, due to being cheaper and not so Armour focused.
*Your particular location's meta-game can alter this of course.
What the Predator needs is someone to provide a distraction so it can carry on doing it’s job. It’s brother, the Vindicator, provides the “Oi! Over here! ~ I’m about to kill you” distraction that the Predator needs.
Drop Pod Dreadnoughts and LRC full of something are also viable as the distraction.
Editor's Note: It is my opinion that if you're taking Predators for AT purposes, you NEED to make them AC/Las. The alternative, though cheaper than the Vanilla counterparts, is still too many points. They also provide zero duality. At least the AC/Las Predator is cheap at only 125 points and if all else fails, it has one more shot than the Tri-Las.
Black Templars Vindicators
Perhaps the most exciting tank in our repertoire. Exciting for you and your opponent. The ferocity of it’s gun will alter your foe’s deployment, how he moves and what he shoots at. More than any other unit a Marine player can bring, the Vindicator shapes the game and instils doubt and caution in your opponents mind.
Winning games isn’t just killing him better or claiming more objectives. It is imposing your will on the game and having it played your way. Killing and objectives are just manifestations of that. The Vindicator brings that shaping influence.
What the Vindicator has is a cannon that can smash units of Terminators, Tyranid Warriors and Plague Marines in a single shot. It also penetrates AV 14 20/36 or 55.55% of the time. That is some serious firepower.
The Vindicator is one of the few units that can threaten all things on the table. It’s short range dictates that you will usually be trundling forwards to shoot things. That means it will attract fire and put itself into a position to be shot.
Bummer.... or is it?
Being something that so threatens the survival of your foe’s units means it becomes high target priority. That frees the rest of your force to do it’s thing unmolested. Bonus! Your real game winners are left free to win the game for you by covering no-man’s-land and bashing up enemy troops and Melta-gunning or Power-fisting his tanks and claiming objectives.
When combined with extra armour and smoke, the Vindicator can manoeuvre around the table top, inviting hostile firepower and through the medium of perceived threat can control the game for you, even if it doesn’t fire all game.
It’s more delicate brother, the Predator (which suffers a big drop in usefulness from even being glanced) is a prime example of benefiting from the Vindicator’s attention grabbing presence.
+++
How often will it hit?
It’s accuracy is okay;
2/6 chance of a hit.
of the 4/6 chances of a scatter;
6/36 will be 0” of deviation (2-4 - bs4 = 0)
4/36 is 1”
5/36 is 2”
6/36 is 3”
5/36 is 4”
4/36 is 5”
3/36 is 6”
2/36 is 7”
1/36 is 8”
To put that into something more real,
33.33% hit
11.11% hit (0 deviation)
16.67% scatter up to 2” (which is usually enough for a hit on most things)
44.44% of a proper hit
16.67% of a good enough hit
near as 60% chance.
+++
Power of the Machine Spirit;
This upgrade seems to have been designed with the Vindicator in mind. It allows the tank to still fire even if suffering a stunned or shaken result. That means 2/6 penetration and 4/6 glance results are near useless.
Buying extra armour allows the up to 6” straight ahead move to be changed into any direction, so still can be of worth.
BS 2 reduces accuracy to
33.33% of direct hit
4/6 x 1/36 chance of 0 deviation. 1.85%
4/6 x 3/36 chance of 2” deviation. 5.55%
35.2% of a proper hit.
5.55% of a good enough hit.
near as 40% chance.
+++
The Vindicator can be a lone choice, which draws fire from the rest of your force, or you can use all three of them. They don’t suffer from the narrow menu that the Predator does.
You can be confident that most games you bring a Vindicator, it has contributed far more than it’s kill tally to your result.
Editor's Note: Useful if your local gets scared by units like this or is primarily foot-based. It won't fly in the National/International competitive scene, however. They are easily neutralized and its short range allows an opponent to get easy side shots in. Vindicators aren't exactly cheap with PotMS either. Predators are better overall.
Winning games isn’t just killing him better or claiming more objectives. It is imposing your will on the game and having it played your way. Killing and objectives are just manifestations of that. The Vindicator brings that shaping influence.
What the Vindicator has is a cannon that can smash units of Terminators, Tyranid Warriors and Plague Marines in a single shot. It also penetrates AV 14 20/36 or 55.55% of the time. That is some serious firepower.
The Vindicator is one of the few units that can threaten all things on the table. It’s short range dictates that you will usually be trundling forwards to shoot things. That means it will attract fire and put itself into a position to be shot.
Bummer.... or is it?
Being something that so threatens the survival of your foe’s units means it becomes high target priority. That frees the rest of your force to do it’s thing unmolested. Bonus! Your real game winners are left free to win the game for you by covering no-man’s-land and bashing up enemy troops and Melta-gunning or Power-fisting his tanks and claiming objectives.
When combined with extra armour and smoke, the Vindicator can manoeuvre around the table top, inviting hostile firepower and through the medium of perceived threat can control the game for you, even if it doesn’t fire all game.
It’s more delicate brother, the Predator (which suffers a big drop in usefulness from even being glanced) is a prime example of benefiting from the Vindicator’s attention grabbing presence.
+++
How often will it hit?
It’s accuracy is okay;
2/6 chance of a hit.
of the 4/6 chances of a scatter;
6/36 will be 0” of deviation (2-4 - bs4 = 0)
4/36 is 1”
5/36 is 2”
6/36 is 3”
5/36 is 4”
4/36 is 5”
3/36 is 6”
2/36 is 7”
1/36 is 8”
To put that into something more real,
33.33% hit
11.11% hit (0 deviation)
16.67% scatter up to 2” (which is usually enough for a hit on most things)
44.44% of a proper hit
16.67% of a good enough hit
near as 60% chance.
+++
Power of the Machine Spirit;
This upgrade seems to have been designed with the Vindicator in mind. It allows the tank to still fire even if suffering a stunned or shaken result. That means 2/6 penetration and 4/6 glance results are near useless.
Buying extra armour allows the up to 6” straight ahead move to be changed into any direction, so still can be of worth.
BS 2 reduces accuracy to
33.33% of direct hit
4/6 x 1/36 chance of 0 deviation. 1.85%
4/6 x 3/36 chance of 2” deviation. 5.55%
35.2% of a proper hit.
5.55% of a good enough hit.
near as 40% chance.
+++
The Vindicator can be a lone choice, which draws fire from the rest of your force, or you can use all three of them. They don’t suffer from the narrow menu that the Predator does.
You can be confident that most games you bring a Vindicator, it has contributed far more than it’s kill tally to your result.
Editor's Note: Useful if your local gets scared by units like this or is primarily foot-based. It won't fly in the National/International competitive scene, however. They are easily neutralized and its short range allows an opponent to get easy side shots in. Vindicators aren't exactly cheap with PotMS either. Predators are better overall.
