Surprising Result

[Coverfire]

I have been ill this week and so I only popped along to the local club for a catch up with friends.

While I was there and I have no memory of the conversation itself but I as told that Assault Cannons

were statistically better than Lascannons.

 

I took that with a grain of salt, and not knowing the best way to calculate it using excel (and having hours

of time on my hands between episodes of The West wing) I thought I would do a practical demonstration.

 

SO for the purposes of boredom, instead of just rolling dice I set up a diorama with vehicles AV10-14 and

plugged away at them with a single Lascannon and a single Assault Cannon. For each target I would take

five rounds and see which did the most damage.

 

Armour Value: 10

Round 1: Lascannon - Immbolised (P), Assault Cannon - Immbolised (G)

Round 2: Lascannon - Stunned (P), Assault Cannon - Shaken (G)

Round 3: Lascannon - Stunned (P), Assault Cannon - Explosion (P), x2 Weapon Destroyed (P)

Round 4: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - x2 Shaken (P), Immbolised (G)

Round 5: Lascannon - Shaken (P), Assault Cannon - Immbolised (P) Immbolised & weap destryed (G)

Winner: Assault Cannon

 

Armour Value: 11

Round 1: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Round 2: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Explosion (P), Immbolised (G)

Round 3: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Round 4: Lascannon - Wreck (P), Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Round 5: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Wreck (P)

Winner: Assault Cannon

 

Armour Value: 12

Round 1: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Round 2: Lascannon - Wreck (P), Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Round 3: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Round 4: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Round 5: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Winner: Lascannon

 

Armour Value: 13

Round 1: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Round 2: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Weapon Destroy (P), Weapon Destroyed (G)

Round 3: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Round 4: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - x2 Explosion (P)

Round 5: Lascannon - Weapon Destroyed, Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Winner: Assault Cannon

 

Armour Value: 14

Round 1: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Round 2: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Shaken (P)

Round 3: Lascannon - Shaken (P), Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Round 4: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Round 5: Lascannon - Missed Shot, Assault Cannon - Missed Shots

Winner: Draw

 

I found these results interesting, and I thought I would share them with you... and I am bored...

[Valerian]

I have been ill this week and so I only popped along to the local club for a catch up with friends.

While I was there and I have no memory of the conversation itself but I as told that Assault Cannons

were statistically better than Lascannons.

 

I found these results interesting, and I thought I would share them with you... and I am bored...

 

Coverfire,

 

This has been done before (years ago), but it is certainly worth bringing up again for the newer folks. Depending on what you're trying to do, Assault Cannon can certainly perform better as an anti-armour weapon. Of course the Lascannon has double the range, so you have to factor that in, as well. Also, most platforms can't chose between the two, and are stuck with just one as an option (for example, no Assault Cannon option for Long Fangs, and no Lascannon option for Wolf Guard Terminators, etc.). The Dreadnought can take either one, but it's Lascannon is Twin-linked, so you have to run the numbers again to reflect the much higher likelihood to hit.

 

Valerian

[Marshal Wilhelm]

Coverfire,

 

This has been done before (years ago), but it is certainly worth bringing up again for the newer folks. Depending on what you're trying to do, Assault Cannon can certainly perform better as an anti-armour weapon. Of course the Lascannon has double the range, so you have to factor that in, as well. Also, most platforms can't chose between the two, and are stuck with just one as an option (for example, no Assault Cannon option for Long Fangs, and no Lascannon option for Wolf Guard Terminators, etc.). The Dreadnought can take either one, but it's Lascannon is Twin-linked, so you have to run the numbers again to reflect the much higher likelihood to hit.

 

Valerian

 

Firstly, I checked your sig ages ago, Val. I didn't know some of those misspelled words, so a belated thank you. :)

 

Yes, AC are better than LC (within 24" :D ) and being okay against Armour and solid against Infantry makes it a nice no-brainer weapon to have in your lists. AssBacks are very good as they can trundle forwards with their unit and contribute firepower no matter the foe.

 

AC are not a replacement for LC but under 24" they are better, for sure. But LasBacks could be better for Long Fangs as they are targeting Armour from a distance and the LC compliments that better.

 

++ LC 66% to hit, tl LC 89% to hit ++

[VorpalDoom]

http://www.thedarkfortress.co.uk/tech_repo...v_lascannon.htm

 

Just about all the info you need...

Keep in mind, the list at the bottom still doesn't take into account the benefits of AP1... but just the penetrating power of each.

[MaleOpener]

Not really all that surprising.

 

Since very few marine chapters have autocannons, the assault cannon was the weapon of choice up to AV12.

 

Lascannons work better against AV 13 and higher, though recently the humble missile launcher is in favor.

 

I use melta weapons and missile launchers myself, as the overall cost becomes cheaper and both do anti-troop/vehicle duties quite well.