Predator Annihilator Tactics

[Kanis]

Greetings comrades!

 

I apologize if there is already a topic about this, but I recently acquired a Predator Annihilator, and I've wanted one for ages; however, I have not the slightest idea how to use it properly! Do I keep it far back and most hidden? Or do I put it out someplace to hit something? I am mostly concerned with such a pricey tank not doing anything, but just getting nailed and taken out early.

 

I really would like some tips on using this tank-hunting-tank, please!

[clanfield]

send some grey hunters up field in rhinos and that should keep them not shooting at the pred

[Marshal Wilhelm]

send some grey hunters up field in rhinos and that should keep them not shooting at the pred

 

That is basically it.

 

You need to run enough AV so your foe cannot get through it quickly. Also you need to be presenting something that draws attention, like those Greys+Rhino, or a LRC or TWC, etc.

 

If you can get something that covers the front of the Pred, whilst not getting in the way of the guns, you are getting a 4+ save, which is pretty sweet with AV13.

 

Also, if deploying second, you can put your Pred out of reach of his Pred. That leaves you Pred within range of his APCs, but never getting shot at.

[Iron Father Rik]

send some grey hunters up field in rhinos and that should keep them not shooting at the pred

That wouldn't stop me shooting at the Predator quite frankly. Any opponent worth their salt will not panic so quickly. It's all about target priority, and shooting at the target that is most suited to the weapon that you have. I would shoot at the predator with my Devastators and Multi-melta land speeder for example, and let the Thunderfire Cannon, Tactical Squads and Scout Bikers deal with the Grey Hunters.

 

That should give you some insight into how to use your Predator. It will all depend on what you are up against, but a Space Marine army, especially a Space Wolves army, is generally not a timid, defensive one. Hiding all the time and popping out to make the odd pot shot will do little to help you win. Granted a Predator Annihilator is a strong fire magnet, but what you need to do is still play aggressively with it. What I mean by this is not charging recklessly forwards all guns blazing. That will get it blown up very quickly. No, what you need to do is to hug terrain, making use of those cover saves and limiting the exposure of your armour plates to the enemy big guns, whilst trying to still have line of site to the big juicy targets for those Lascannons. Keep the pressure on and keep shooting stuff with it.

 

Don't be afraid to move sometimes either. Yes 2 and 1 twin-linked Lascannons are nice, but only if they get to fire a lot. If moving 6" (or 12" if necessary) means that your tank will be in a better fire position or a safer location to enemy fire, then move it. You can still fire your twin-linked lascannon if you move only 6", and sometimes it's better to only fire one gun but be alive the next turn, than fire all your guns and get blown up. (Especially if it's near the end of an objective based game and your tank is in a position to contest an objective!)

 

But the tactic of distracting your opponent should still be deployed obviously. What I am talking about is how the Predator itself should be used, and the rest of your army should try to support it. But be careful to not centre your battle plans too much around the Predator, because you will become undone if and when it dies.

[Sigmund Hammerhand]

That wouldn't stop me shooting at the Predator quite frankly. Any opponent worth their salt will not panic so quickly. It's all about target priority, and shooting at the target that is most suited to the weapon that you have. I would shoot at the predator with my Devastators and Multi-melta land speeder for example, and let the Thunderfire Cannon, Tactical Squads and Scout Bikers deal with the Grey Hunters.

 

The thing is, by shooting your devastators and land speeder at the predators, you're not pointing them at the rhinos. And they are the things that pose the greatest threat to the rhinos, so you are doing what your opponent is hoping you will.

 

I'd suggest that on top of having enough grey hunters in rhinos, you have at least one more distraction in the form of a very fast moving unit. I like to use two packs of swift claws, and interestingly enough they usually draw almost all the big guns' fire (and mostly emerge unscratched), which gives me a whole turn to get into position. And thanks to their having meltas, it also means that they'll take out two big guns when they get where they're going.

 

You can achieve the same thing with skyclaws (although their lower toughness and higher numbers won't warrant as much attention from big guns), land speeders, dreadnoughts in drop pods, terminators in drop pods and so forth. By moving and popping smoke on the predators in turn one, you also lower their position on the threat list as they won't be able to fire.

 

The idea is to make your opponent think about something other than the units you use to make him think about something other than the predators (a tertiary threat, so to speak).

 

Don't be afraid to move sometimes either.

 

That is a very good point. Even early in the game it is crucial to know when remaining stationary is going to cost you more in the long run. Remember the predator also has smoke launchers. So if you have to sacrifice shooting for one turn in order to get into a better position which gives improved lines of fire and/or better cover, do it. As I said above, moving 12" and popping smoke makes them a lower priority target for a turn as well, and by the time their priority goes back up again, you'll be stuck in close with grey hunters and whatnot.

 

I think it also needs to be said that predators are no good at blowing up anything above armour 13 (and even armour 13 is a tough nut to crack, so I'd steer clear of those too). These threats need to be taken out with meltas because they're the only guns that reliably do the job.

 

What the predator is great at is limiting enemy mobility. Shooting down transports and lighter tanks/walkers. It does these things very well, but the higher strength lascannons mean you will have something to point at that leman russ exterminator if you're absolutely desperate to shoot it down because all your meltas missed (again...).

[Torin]

another suggestion is having a rune priest with storm caller.. i does help by having that 5+ cover... better then nothing.

[Sigmund Hammerhand]

another suggestion is having a rune priest with storm caller.. i does help by having that 5+ cover... better then nothing.

 

But can you afford spending points on a rune priest just sitting there doing nothing in particular?

 

Cover is so easy to come by for units that don't have to move in order to be effective that a rune priest would really be wasting his potential in this situation.

[Stormshrug]

another suggestion is having a rune priest with storm caller.. i does help by having that 5+ cover... better then nothing.

 

But can you afford spending points on a rune priest just sitting there doing nothing in particular?

 

Cover is so easy to come by for units that don't have to move in order to be effective that a rune priest would really be wasting his potential in this situation.

 

I happen to agree with you, but feel that I should point out that if you got Master of Runes, Storm Caller, and Living Lightning, then the Rune Priest could be as productive as ever while still guarding your tank. Infinite range is great like that.

 

That said, it's not really necessary, and a 5+ cover save is kind of crummy anyway. Better than NO save, but not really worth the points in this case.

 

-Stormshrug

[Kanis]

Thanks greatly for all the advice so far, comrades!

 

So, A rune priest would be a waste, say, attached to a Long Fang Squad, Master of Runes with Lightening and Storm Caller you guys think?? That'd make for a pretty strong fire base and can give a bit of a buff to the predator. Though, I can see how making it stationary could do more harm than good, and as mentioned above, make the rune priest a waste of points if it were to just sit back and shoot the whole time, plus not a lot of wounds to protect him, but it was an idea I got from reading the suggestions here!

[Sigmund Hammerhand]

Thanks greatly for all the advice so far, comrades!

 

So, A rune priest would be a waste, say, attached to a Long Fang Squad, Master of Runes with Lightening and Storm Caller you guys think?? That'd make for a pretty strong fire base and can give a bit of a buff to the predator. Though, I can see how making it stationary could do more harm than good, and as mentioned above, make the rune priest a waste of points if it were to just sit back and shoot the whole time, plus not a lot of wounds to protect him, but it was an idea I got from reading the suggestions here!

 

The problem with long fangs as body guard for a rune priest is very simple - a unit that already draws more than enough fire (Being the most dangerous heavy weapons team around), is made an ever higher priority target with the addition of a rune priest. And every time they're being shot at, you're faced with choosing between allocating the wounds to one of two very valuable models... it's a lose-lose situation.

 

Sitting back with master of the runes casting the cover save is one way of making sure that the RPs potential isn't completely wasted. But if you ask me, it's still 80% wasting his talent. The cover save is good for units that have to advance through open terrain, either because there isn't any cover available or because you don't want to be slowed down. How often do you deploy your predators and long fangs out in the open? There is almost guaranteed to be a spot where they can be in cover, and then what's the point in storm caller?

 

It is excessively expensive paying for the master of the runes upgrade, considering better cover is so readily available on most battlefields.

 

Instead of taking something like a rune priest to protect the predators, I would just protect him with the way you play (in other words, don't let your opponents choose targets - make him shoot at what you want him to shoot at).

 

One thing you might consider doing is buying two dreadnoughts with two twin-linked autocannons (or whatever else takes your fancy, really - I'm just very fond of the rifleman dreadnought). You can put them in front of the predator, and with a bit of good positioning, give him cover without obscuring any of his guns (and if needs be, thanks to being a walker, the dreadnought can mouve out of the way slightly in order to open up firelanes for you and/or close them for your opponent. Dreadnoughts can find cover much more easily. Most things that only just give cover to your dreadnought won't cover your predator sufficiently.

[Grimtooth]

Long Fangs with Rune Priest in cover will most likely already have a 4+ so as has been mentioned, Storm Caller is wasted.

 

If anything, MoR with Living Lightning and Tempest Wrath. If your Predator is deployed within the 24" bubble of Tempest Wrath, then you are somewhat protecting it from deep strikers or skimmers looking to get close and destroy it.

 

The other option is to just run your Predator with your Rhinos as a covering screen while only firing one weapon.

[Kanis]

All very valid points, thanks for the perspective.

 

I didn't really mean the cover was going to be for the Long Fangs, and cover in my group is a little scarce also, so it makes the power to make cover saves a lot more useful. (We have no fancy buildings, just old Styrofoam, haha.) So I think that's two strikes against leaving the Rune Priest with the Fangs from what I'm reading, but the debate on it was informative, so thank you!

 

As for the dreadnought, I only have one, and I have no autocannon arms for it, just the old Wolf Dreadnought, assault cannon, etc. I do have two Rhino's I have Hunter packs in, those I can rush forward as always and make them targets instead of the predator. I have one ten man unit without transport, they could have the Rune Priest with Storm and another power, and the Predator can move up behind them slowly if need be.

 

I play against heavily numbered armies, with tank support. Like, A) Noise Marines with two Annihilators, and :P Plague Marines with a Predator Annihilator and a Vindicator.