Tank Shock

[yodaid764]

I have searched the forums and not seen a specific answer to this:

The last edition I played regularly was 3rd and running over your enemy was pretty simple with tanks. Now, reading the 5th ed rules (after missing all of 4th ed), the Tank Shock rules leaves me wondering. What is the purpose or best use of tank shock? It seems that simply running over enemy dismounts is not as easy as previous editions. Looking at the rule it seems that Tank Shock is really only suited to 1) move an enemy unit out of the way so you can get a tank to their rear lines OR 2) to try to dislodge a scoring unit from camping an objective.

The problem with either of these, particullarly #1 is that in 9/10 cases I can think of this leaves the tank within charge range of any unit that does get moved out of the tanks way.

I have not seen too many death or glory attacks but then again I have seen very few attempts to Tank Shock. Since only models that would still be under the tank get run over the likely hood of seeing an casualties seems pretty low and thus not exactly an effective way for a vehicle to be used.

I'm just trying to see where this is useful or the best way to actually get some use out of the rule.

Anyone have better insight or experience with this?

[Hfran Morkai]

When your vehicle has lost its weapon its pretty tempting, also my brother claims to have slain a carnifex with a tank shock (rhino) before, I wasn't present at the game but that sounds impressive.

[Shiodome]

I use tank shock a lot to 'herd' horde units into tighly packed groups so i can flame them. if your tank shock results in your tank ending its move over enemy models, the models must move the minimal possible distance to be 1" from the hull. the player doesn't get to choose where they go so as to keep them spread out. you can then get out and flame them for extra crispiness. if the tank shocked unit falls back... they'll fall back an average of 7", they can only move 3" when they regroup. so you can often safely disembark and rapid fire as long as you're >9" from the falling back unit.

 

obviously you need to take 'death or glory' into account... i use tank shock all the time against hordey things like hormagaunts, genestealers, imperial guard, etc. it's also usefull against 'backfield' campers like ork lootas, the kind of unit you'd typically find at the back near their home objective, so in an area you want to rush your troops into anyway. against units with powerfists and meltas etc though you need to think twice.

 

it can be worth a gamble plowing a rhino into a 30man ork mob, with powerclaw nob as it gives a reasonable chance of either killing the nob or herding the mob (for frag missile and flamer carnage). the nob gets 1 str 8 hit vs your armour 11. first he needs 3 to glance, 4 to penetrate. and then he needs to get a result other than shaken or weapon destroyed (and hell, 'explodes' can be a great result if you're in the middle of 30 boyz :)) or the nob dies. one of the only ways i know of 'sniping' ork nobs in units. still it's a gamble, best tried with an empty rhino. when it works though, it sets you up beautifully to send a dread in and pretty much remove that massive mob from the game.

[DarkGuard]

I just love tank shocking the enemy with my Rhinos. When my units in the position I want them to be, I find that if you drive a couple of tanks at opposition troops can always give some results. Running units away from objectives is handy, but more than anything it inconveniences your opponent, either with his units legging it, having to move away (which packs them up nicely for flamers), or giving him decision on whether to loose his prized Sergeant with the power fist to a bad roll.

 

I too have seen some pretty awesome tank shocks, with a Leman Russ running over a Carnifex, while my very own Rhino squished Eldrad Ulthran.

 

The main thing I see with tank shocks is that with cheap tanks like Rhinos, which have done their job, it is something else to make your opponent worried about. It can be a suprising tactic at times, but one that can work wonders when pulled off properly.

[waaanial00]

Picture the scene:

 

An uber Nob unit of death is close to your lines and you dont have a unit to tackle it in CC or even to out shoot it. What you do have is a Rhino within 12" of the unit.

 

Enter Tank Shock!

 

That uber Nob unit now has to roll 7 or less or it turns tail and bolts it. All for 35 points!

 

Second scenario

 

Your IG friend has 3 units within 12" of your Rhino. Tank shock means 3 units having to take a LD check of 8. He is unlikely to make them all, even if he does and manages to explode the Rhino with a death or glory shot then your opponent is likely to suffer quite a number of explosion inflicted death.

 

Bunching up units to make them easier to template is also another great idea, as well as splitting up counter attacking possibilities.

 

Wan

[Giga]

Tank shocking gunlines is always a good thing to do. Even if they have high leadership, occasionally they will still fail their test and probably run off the table.

 

I do most tankshocks with my rhinos, after they've delivered the marines. Then, instead of sitting in place and shooting with the stormbolter, I like to go out full speed and either ram stuff or tank-shock units.

[Allerka]

Yep, it's another tactic you have at your disposal. I remember one time, playing against another Marine player, I tank-shocked a Tactical Squad with a Rhino, they failed the leadership test and were falling back, and I just kept the Rhino within 6" of them for two more turns so they couldn't regroup and fled the table, not doing anything else. Obviously the Rhino earned back nearly five times its points just by doing that. And it's not very likely it'll go down if it gets counter-charged, especially if you move 12" every turn. Not to mention half of what you'd be trying to tank shock anyway wouldn't be suited to taking out a vehicle in assault.

 

They're great for harassing enemy units, blocking line of sight, tackling units off of objectives, and even occasionally killing something. I also had a nice time where a Carnifex (I think it was a 'fex. Some kind of MC) failed to stop it, and was run over. Which is the great thing about the risk of Death or Glory. At least when you're on the sending side of it. I had someone try to tank-shock my Wolf Lord on a TWM once, I decided to DoG with him, thanks to the auto-hit and his S10, I got a Pen and blew it up. I would only ever recommend doing Death or Glory if you have something with a VERY high chance of taking the vehicle down, i.e. melta weapons, a S10 weapon if you have (Thunderwolf cavalry or Lysander), or MAYBE a power fist if it's AV 11 or below. Otherwise don't bother.

[Gearhead]

I tank shocked a unit of assault terminators that could've easily torn through my troops. Using a lascannonless Razorback, I tank shocke them, they rolled boxcars for leadership and snake eyes to run. They had a razorback following them fr the rest of the game.

 

I have tank shocked a huge unit of conscripts before, that was fun. Ld 5 is hard to pass; after making them run I assaulted them and, well... Ld 5 is hard to pass....

[waaanial00]

One weapon Allerka forgot to mention is melta bombs. An autohitting 2D6 + 8 hit, I have stopped many tanks with a well placed melta bomb. Of course it stings when the tank doesnt die but at least you have a really high chance of penetrating the armour.

 

Dont forget that its 1 hit from any weapon your model has. Once had a MM/ML Dread get tank shocked by two griffons, I had a stange 5 minutes and thought I had to use a CC hit so rolle using my S6 attack, rather than my 2D6 + 8 Multi Melta! Idiots anonymous got a call that night!

 

Wan

[Allerka]

One weapon Allerka forgot to mention is melta bombs.

No, I said melta WEAPONS, which includes the bombs. :P

[ShinyRhino]

I love Tank Shock. It won me a game against a Marine force once. I drove my Rhino across the table for two turns with Hammernators whiffing at its rear, to Tank Shock a unit of embedded Scouts off their objective, and then off the board.

I've also smooshed a couple Ork Nobs when they rolled 1s for the powerklaw attack from Death or Glory.

The trick to shoving units off an objective is spacing. Line up the Tank Shock so that you will end up pretty much on top of the objective marker, and the opponent won't be contesting,s ince your Rhino is too large to grant them the 3" claim/contest range. They are forced to either move and lose the objective, or take the DoG roll. If they fail, the unit is leaving the area.

Tau Pathfinders HATE tank shocks.

[yodaid764]

Thanks for the thoughts and tips so far.