Baal preds

[Robbie1984]

After lookin at the rule book and a few games on vassel, I've noticed that assault cannons have become a very reliable way of taking out light vehicles, and can also make a mess of infantry.

 

With the Baal being able to take a TLASSC, have these now become a must have unit?? 3 of these in the FA slots along with a storm raven with TLASSC and a few AC/LC preds would bring enough long range dakka to cause a lot of problems?

[Jolemai]

Assault Cannons have certainly gone up in usefulness (in my opinion) and I will be trying to field more where possible.

 

As for the Heavy Support Predator variants, the Annihilator is the same as always, the Auto/Las Destructor has become far more dangerous due to the changes with glancing whilst the daka-Destructor may even get some game time against a force that contains light vehicles.

[eyeslikethunder]

The twin linked assault cannon might also useful against flyers reroll misses with 4 shots

[Terrahawk]

With the ability to Snap-fire your weapons when needed they have definitely become more useful. Assault Cannon is also more effective at killing vehicles, because of weight of fire combined with hull points. And cover saves being nerfed to 5+ will make Heavy Bolters more dangerous against low armour targets, that used to rely on cover saves.

 

I'm looking forward to fielding Dakka Baals in this edition.

[Chaplain Admetus]

Baal Preds can make a good stab at bringing down a rhino in a single shooting phase if you bring all your weapons to bear. A twin-linked assault cannon and a pair of heavy bolters stand a good chance of taking off two hull points, and getting all 3 isn't unfeasible. Beyond that, outflanking and gunning down some troops is still a viable plan.

[JamesI]

A baal pred is a good unit for shooting at low armor flyers too, like Ork flyers or Storm Talons. Just due to the number of shots they put out there.

[Robbie1984]

Speaking of preds and rhino based tanks in general, does anyone have a link to a guide on how to magnetise sponsons? Might get one or two but would like to magnetise so I can keeps options open!

[Zhukov]

Baal Predator was always a tad bit overpriced and I personally don't see how 6th made them better, rather worse. Why worse?

-Without sponsons the new Fast Vehicle rules don't do anything for it *compared to certain other Fast Vehicles*, making them *relatively worse* in this respect.

-With sponsons and moving at cruising speed you have the problem of Snap fire: Which weapon are you going to snap fire with? A heavy bolter? Or the TL-AC because the twin-linking allevates the BS1 problem to a degree. (haven't done the math yet, but I assume it's still better to fire the TL-AC at normal BS against almost anything).

-No more scout + smokes.

-Short Ranged weapon > AV11 on the sides > dead Baal quicker than you'd want.

 

Basicly it comes down to the fact that you're having a 150 point vehicle (assuming sponsons) who shoots out some dakka.

 

TL-AC is a great weapon, no doubt about it, but I personally don't think the Baal Pred is a good platform for it. Could do with 20 points less or so.

[Ransom]

Here's one I followed....

 

Baal Magnetization guide

[Plague Angel]

I've been thinking about Zhukov's points, too, and I'm wondering. What does a Baal Pred offer that a TLAC Razorback can't?

[Daybreak]

I've been thinking about Zhukov's points, too, and I'm wondering. What does a Baal Pred offer that a TLAC Razorback can't?

 

AV13 is harder to glance, obv, but a Baal's job is to get in close which completely eliminates that. Some dork with a heavy bolter or scatter laser is going to get at your flank and wreck your day.

 

At least the RB is cheap. Dump some dudes in midfield, then boogie back to your lines and open fire.

 

I really like the AC/HB Predator now, though. Long range, hard to glance to death at a distance, and it can glance out virtually anything. Land Raiders are still a pain, but that's what ASM with melta are for. For 100 points, I like the AC/HB Pred a lot.

[darth_giles]

So if you're going to be getting in *that* close, why not just load up with a Flamestorm Cannon and HF sponsons, park it right next to whatever it is you think is going to blow you up, and get in a good round of hot templates? An S6 template on a War Walker is fairly likely to penetrate, and it being AP3 is likely to roast a Dev/Havoc squad.