Podding Dread vs. Annihilator

[silversmith82]

Been looking at my armor busting in an army I'm building and I'm not sure which way I want to go. A podding dread strikes me as a sucide unit that very likely can become a waste of points if I roll a 1 or 2 on its melta shot when it drops in. But damn if they aren't great when they work properly. Regardless they'll attract alot of shooting and take the heat off the rest of your army for at least a turn. Then you have the tried and true Annihilator which puts out a ton of firepower but any deep striking unit that gets a rear armor shot (aformenioned dread) can really screw it up. Lascannons also seem to be going away with all the melta spam builds going on but I do like the ability to be able to reach out 48" and blow up all those MEQ transports. Are you all finding Annihilators to be viable in 5th as much as they were in 4th or is the common podding vanilla mm/hf dread a better choice?

 

The reason I ask is because they are right around the same point values.

[Giga]

By annihilator you mean the 3 lascannon predator?

 

I think it's too expensive for what it does. I'd say it's a better idea to get a combipredator instead, or stuff like mm attack bikes or mm/hf speeders.

 

If you want to drop pod your meltas, then 5 sternguard with 3 combimeltas and 2 meltaguns are the way to go. They're a little more expensive then the dread, but they have a lot higher chance to blow up whatever it is they shoot at.

[silversmith82]

Yes 3 Lascannon Pred is a Predator Annihilator. Yeah I know the dakka preds are great and probably the better value by far but then you get the arguement about whirlwinds vs dakka preds and I don't want to get into that right in this topic. I hadn't considered the Sternguard, that is an option. I already am going to include a squadron of speeders or bikes so that is covered. Just want to make sure I have enough anti armor due to all the MEQ running around in 5th.

 

Again, I mainly asked this because an Annihilator is right around the same price as a podding dread.

[minigun762]

I think it's too expensive for what it does. I'd say it's a better idea to get a combipredator instead, or stuff like mm attack bikes or mm/hf speeders.

 

I second this.

And you might be getting the dakka Predator mixed up with the CombiPredator.

Dakka is Autocannon/Heavy Bolters and used for anti-infantry. Combi is Autocannon/Lascannons and used for transports/walkers/MCs. The advantage of the Combi is that its alot cheaper then the triple Lascannon Predator while doing the same job just as well (never discount the Autocannon against light armor).

 

But between your two choices, I think the Dreadnought is probably better.

[silversmith82]

No, I meant the autocannon/hb pred which is completely worth the pts IMO and I may try and fit in 2 of them or 2 whirlwinds if I can find some points. I think I'll just keep the podding dreads and hope I roll 3s. Having 2 of them in the army I'm building adds reduncancy if something absolutely HAS to die.