Spartan Assault Tank for the Sons of the Lion?

[L30n1d4s]

I have seen threads in other forums talking about the Spartan Assault Tank and how it might be employed with those codices.

 

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Downloads/Product/PDF/s/Spartan.pdf

 

Granted, it is a FW model, so some controversy about when and if you can use it in different games /tournaments. For this topic, let's just assume that you are allowed to use it. If that is the case, then how would you incorporate it into your army?

 

Before answering that question, a quick review of the Spartan's vital statistics:

 

-Same armor as a Land Raider, but with an additional Hull Point

-PotMS, Assault Vehicle, spotlight, smoke, and extra armor come standard

-TLed Heavy Bolter and two quad Lascannons (so basically double the Lascannon fire of a normal LR)

-Option for Frag Launchers and Ceramite Armor (no Melta bonus) as upgrades

-The Big one... More than double the transport capacity of a normal LR or LRR... The only non flyer that can carry a full 10 man Terminator Squad plus a couple of attached ICs

 

So, basically, the Spartan is a more expensive, more resilient, better-armed, higher model capacity Land Raider. Is it worth it for a DA army?

 

What do you think? Combined with a Power Field Generator and Ceramite Armor, plus its AV 14 armor and 5 hull points, I see it being very hard to bring down, even with massed AT firepower. Also, its increased firepower is significant.... 4 TLed LC shots a turn at 48" can do some real damage over the course of a game.

[Nightmare84]

Ceramite alone makes it worth it for me.

 

Melta has been the only real way my land raider has been popped

[Cmdr Shepard]

 

Option for Frag Launchers and Ceramite Armor (no Melta bonus) as upgrades

 

Armoured Ceramite only nullify the bonus provided by the melta rule (melta guns and multi melta, for example), Melta bombs possess the armour bane rule so they will roll 2 dices.

You may already know it but I just wanted to say it because I heard few persons saying Armoured Ceramite is immune to melta bombs additional dice.

 

Still bringing down the Spartan is very difficult. In CC you have its cargo to protect it ;). The major threats are Lance weapons and haywire attacks.

 

I really love the model and I wanted one for my HH armies (where the Spartan can eve take a Flare Shield!!!)

I just noticed the FW site does not longer have the disclaimer: due to the Spartan high demand there may be delays in shipping etc.. so we suggest to order it alone etc..

 

Wow.. it will join my growing crusade soon. The nice thing is I can field it with nearly every SM army! A part from GK...

[Tiger9gamer]

anyone else itching to put a 10 man knight squad w/ An Interrogator chaplain and ezekiel in it? Just for the lulz?

[ephrael]

anyone else itching to put a 10 man knight squad w/ An Interrogator chaplain and ezekiel in it? Just for the lulz?

That's exactly what I'm planning on buying mine for.  I can't wait to order it in a few weeks.

[L30n1d4s]

Obviously, you can go the path of the uber Deeathstar assault unit with 10+ Terminator Models inside, but of course that is going to take a lions share of your army's points right there, unless you are playing an Apoc style game of 2500+ points.

 

I think the Spartan offers DA players several tactical options:

 

1 - Sacred Standard Bunker

 

Put a command squad with a Standard of Retribution/Foritutude/Devastation and a Libby with Power Field Generator inside a Spartan and now you have a very powerful, mobile bunker that is projecting a 4++ Invul save 3" from its hull and the effects of a Sacred Standard 6-12" from its hull to the army around you. You can even give the Command Squad a few power weapons, giving you an effective counter-assault unit (Libby gives them re-rolls to hit with Prescience, Vets charge out with 4 attacks a piece on the charge).

 

 

2 - Anti-Armor Hunter

 

The Spartan costs a lot (especially with certain no-brainer upgrades, like Ceramite Armor), but it also brings a lot of value for its costs. When hunting enemy armor, it can move 6" every turn and still fire 4 TL-Lascannon shots a turn (at two different targets, if it wants to). With 5-7 turns of shooting in a game, you could easily destroy 4-5 light-medium enemy vehicles from Spartan shooting, making its points back and, even more, having a positive impact on the game. 5 enemy Chimeras destroyed/wrecked is, both tactically and gameplay-wise, a very good return on your investment. Against MCs, it can drop a 6W, T6 Tyranid MC in an average of 2 turns of shooting.... over the course of a game, that is 3 MCs eliminated, no mean feat.

 

3 - Linebreaker

 

Since the Spartan can still go Flat Out (for 18" of movement a turn), despite its bulk, it can get a unit where it needs to be for a turn 2 assault. Combined with Ceramite Armor, 5 hull Points, and a 4++ from a Power Field Generator, the only things that really have a chance of threatening it are:

 

-Massed Lance Weapons (it takes an average of 30 Lance/Darklight shots to glance a Spartan like this to death)

-Massed Rail Guns (it takes an average of 26 Broadside Battlesuit shots to glance a Spartan like this to death)

-Gauss Weapons (it takes an average of 90 Gauss shots to glance a Spartan like this to death)

-Haywire weapons (it takes an average of 18 Haywire grenades in close combat to glance a Spartan like this to death, providing the Spartan moved the turn before)

 

All weapons S7 or below cannot even hurt a Spartan and S8, or even S9, weapons have a very difficult time with it

 

What all this means is that it is almost impossible to bring down a Spartan in a single turn of shooting, unless you are very, very lucky. As a result, if a DA player absolutely needs to get a unit into enemy lines by turn 2, a Spartan with Ceramite and supporting Power Field Generator is the vehicle to do it.

[John_f]

The way I see it almost every FW model is somewhat better then their codex counterpart. Makes sence, since FW wants to sell models. The risk is that a very powerful unit like the Spartan becomesma crutch. You are no longer playing the game, you are playing your spartan... There is a reason that many tournament organisers are banning FW models.

[Brother Captain Lucian]

The way I see it almost every FW model is somewhat better then their codex counterpart. Makes sence, since FW wants to sell models. The risk is that a very powerful unit like the Spartan becomesma crutch. You are no longer playing the game, you are playing your spartan... There is a reason that many tournament organisers are banning FW models.

 

Not really, most FW models are overcosted. There are a few glaring examples of "op lol"... but the same can be said for GW codices.

 

And GW models, they make newer models more desirable, so they will sell more. (Ignoring the few crap ones like our fliers..)

 

The main argument for banning FW models in tournaments, is that not everyone has acces to the rules for them. (Atleast thats the version iv heard^^). Which imho is BS.. anyway there's another thread for that discussion.

 

 

Obviously, you can go the path of the uber Deeathstar assault unit with 10+ Terminator Models inside, but of course that is going to take a lions share of your army's points right there, unless you are playing an Apoc style game of 2500+ points.

*snip*

What all this means is that it is almost impossible to bring down a Spartan in a single turn of shooting, unless you are very, very lucky. As a result, if a DA player absolutely needs to get a unit into enemy lines by turn 2, a Spartan with Ceramite and supporting Power Field Generator is the vehicle to do it.

 

What he said.  IF your not going the deep strike way, or really like your Land Raiders, then the Spartan is for you - but your paying a ton of points for it.