Predators or Vindicators?

[Black Memories]

Predators if you're not running melta bikes. Vindicators if you're running melta bikes. Trust me the pop-and-blast is amazing. Not just when it helps, but the possibility of it hitting scares your opponents badly. Vindicators attract more than unreasonable amounts of firepower. Even if they don't kill a single thing the fact that they can kill ANYTHING means your opponent will treat them accordingly. Also vindicators are a great screen for mephiston.

 

Predators are great in pairs or more, especially in conjunction with a few razorbacks. I find that hey are awful alone and for some reason great in pairs. While they lack heavy armor killing ability if your meta tends to run a lot of MC's or light armor, preds are probably the best choice you can make. They are a synergy choice. They, again, are not great stand alone. If preds are going to be your only firepower option leave them at home and take something else. If you have several firepower units in your list already predators are the perfect augmentation.

[AbusePuppy]

All valid points otherwise but this part is incorrect. The BS4 demolisher cannon is actually the best tank buster in the codex after half range melta vs AV12 and up (assuming rhino sized hull or larger). Better than both TL lascannon and assault cannon.

 

Only if you are assuming that you can only have one gun, which is patently untrue. Compare the chances of a Vindicator destroying most targets to a multi-gun units and it looks a lot worse. Cover and the unreliability of the damage table mean that no single-shot weapon can be counted on to take a target out.

[Zhukov]

All valid points otherwise but this part is incorrect. The BS4 demolisher cannon is actually the best tank buster in the codex after half range melta vs AV12 and up (assuming rhino sized hull or larger). Better than both TL lascannon and assault cannon.

What Puppy says.

 

In a different wording: Comparing a Vindicator to single other shots is blatantly misleading, cause you leave out necessary things like point costs.

 

Talking about good and bad means you agree to compare your subject with other choices, or else it has no value.

[knife&fork]

In a different wording: Comparing a Vindicator to single other shots is blatantly misleading, cause you leave out necessary things like point costs.

 

Which is why I agree with the rest of your points. But you gave the impression that the demolisher cannon is not a good tank buster, which I think should be clarified.

[Demoulius]

actually even with scattering youd be suprised how many times you find your shot still lands on target :P you can scatter a good 2 or 3 inches depending on what vehicle your shooting at. and with squads your shot might still land on other models, just not the ones you were firing at! (funnily enough i generally hit MORE when i scatter :) )

[AngelOfDeathXIII]

I prefer Vindicators personally but this is mainly because my regular opponent is an Ork-player. Those big templates really reap quite a toll with hordes... When I play against my other regular opponent (heavily mechanized Guardsmen) I prefer to take a Predator with autocannon and Lascannon sponsons.

[Bartali]

I've heard rumors that in 6th ed successful cover saves against blasts will be rerolled to represent the blast destroying the cover and creating shrapnel... which will go in part to reduce this.

Maybe the Vindi will be better in 6th indeed, but as we're playing in 5th atm this is pretty irrelevant for this discussion I think.

 

I wouldn't put it past GW to make the Whirlwind useful in 6th, relegating both the Predator and Vindicator

[Demoulius]

I prefer Vindicators personally but this is mainly because my regular opponent is an Ork-player. Those big templates really reap quite a toll with hordes... When I play against my other regular opponent (heavily mechanized Guardsmen) I prefer to take a Predator with autocannon and Lascannon sponsons.

hmmm thing about hordes is that in your example (orks) theyre 6 points apiece of im not mistaken... theyre just as effective killing terminators as theyre killing ork boyz :D

 

if you can choose though, target elite infantry and/or vehicles. dont bother with horde units like gaunts, guardsmen or boyz unless you simply DONT have a better target...

 

and do like i do. when in doubt, TAKE BOTH :D

[darkenedsquire]

I prefer predators purely based on the fact my vindicators seem to just attract "weapon destroyed" results and spend the rest of the battle being a rhino sized piece of moving cover :P