Understanding Titan Weaponry

[ElectricPaladin]

I've put together a bassinet list of wargaming projects I want to complete before my wife and I start trying for kids. This list includes my fellglaive and both of my land raiders... but the crown jewel will be - if I can save up the scratch - a proper titan of some variety. Why? Because while I'm sure I'll be able to scratch out the occasional moment to finish a marine, or make progress on a squad, I think that once I reproduce, it's going to be a long time before I have the time or the money to put into a project this big.

Now, of course, I'm going to magnetize this bastard. What, you expect me to just buy an extra titan for every possible loadout? Nevertheless, I'm probably not going to be able to spring for all the weapons at once.

So... while I know that on some level a titan is a titan is a titan, and there's no such thing as a "bad" loadout for a model that huge and awesome, I'd also like to make sure that I know what kind of choices I'm making so that the first time I con some bastard into playing Apocalypse with me and I put my titan on the table, I don't end up regretting my purchase!

Reaver Weapons

The reaver titan is the one I'm probably most likely to get. Go big or go home. Even a middle school teacher could afford one of these to by putting aside $100ish a month for almost a year... which is almost half my discretionary budget, but man would that ever be worth it.

The reaver's arms are two of the gatling blaster, laser blaster, melta cannon, power fist, and volcano cannon.

Right off the bat, I know that I'm going to end up with the powerfist. I know, I know, I know that it's not really that good... but I don't think I can resist the temptation to put a fist on it and go smash other titans. With WS 2, I could probably be convinced that this is stupid, if you try hard enough.

For the other... I definitely need a ranged D-weapon. I think it should be the laser blaster. Given that I'm going to play this bastard alongside my close combat/closer firefight focused Blood Angels successors and Sisters of Battle, I don't really care about the excessive long range on the volcano cannon, and the three shots of the laser blaster make the gun more likely to wreck tanks and blow up other superheavies.

As for the carapace weapon, I've got my choice of Apocalypse missile launcher, turbo-laser, inferno gun, vortex missile, and vulcan mega-bolter. With a fist and a laser blaster, I'm feeling a lack of shots. The apocalypse missile launcher is probably the best solution for this, but given that I'm going to be closing (see above), I could also solve this problem with the vulcan mega-bolter or inferno gun.

Warhound Weapons

Then again, in reality, I might find myself unable to justify that kind of expenditure, no matter how much I want one. Then I'd probably do a warhound, which would still be a fun model to paint and play.

The Warhound gets two of the inferno gun, plasma blastgun, double-barreled turbo-laser destructor, and vulcan mega-bolter. I definitely want the turbo-laser destructor, because it's my only D-weapon optoin. For the second weapon, I'm torn between the plasma blastgun and the mega-bolter. The inferno cannon is appealing - especially since my warhound would be rushing forward with my Blood Angels successors or Sisters of Battle (or both) depending on the game) - but I worry that even with a very high strength, it's still just AP 3, and I want to make sure that my warhound can protect itself from terminators and the like.

In both cases... what do you think? Do I understand these guns well enough, or am I mistaken?

[Lucien Eilam]

I think the rule is still turbo-laser variants are best, Vulcan mega-bolters are rubbish. The D weapon advantage isn't quite so overwhelming in this edition, so the other guns now look a bit better. You can't really go wrong though. Even the power fist is a reasonable choice with so many super-heavies and gargantuan creatures running around.

 

You might want to consider that the plasma blastgun is supposed to be the standard primary weapon on a Warhound.

 

I wouldn't equip it with defending itself in mind. That job is for the rest of your army. The Titan needs to focus on killing the biggest, nastiest units on the other side of the table. If you opponent succeeds in distracting 750-1500 points of Titan with 200 points of Terminators, killing it is a bonus.

[Kilofix]

Don't like the Vulcan Mega-Bolter. Its abit dissapointing when almost a whole unit escapes unscathed from it because of cover saves.

 

The Apocalypse Missile Launcher is also abit unpredictable because it uses an Apoc Barrage and unless you overlap all 5 Barrages, you can sometimes completely miss, even when scoring a 'Hit' on the initial Scatter.

 

I prefer the Turbo-Laser (if further - and if more opposing Super-Heavies) or the Inferno (if closer - and if more opposing Infantry).

 

Reaver and Warhound are still very vulnerable to Assault Terminators at close range though and none of the weapons best help with such (either not AP2 or you risk Scatter into yourself). So you'll need some sort of screen with your other units.

[jeffersonian000]

The Vulcan Mega-Bolter is the only Titan-class weapon that can hit Flyers. Not that you want your Titan hunting Flyers, however, in a pinch, the VMB can punch a light Flyer out of the sky.

 

Be that as it may, I too prefer the P-Fist, Laser Blaster, and Apoc Launcher on my Reavers. I do have one with two Power Fists and a Vortex Missile, which I call "Brawler". With him I try for an Out Flank, toss his Caber, then charge in to Hammer, Punch Punch, Stomp Stomp Stomp.

 

Another fun configuration is two Gattling Blasters and an Apoc Launcher. 11 S8 AP3 large blasts. Used to be more acceptable to opponents before the D-wep nerf, although still an overwhelming amount of blasts.

 

SJ

[Pascalnz]

oh no... not the fist, it still only swings...twice? hitting of 4's or 5's?.   you are far more likely to kill an enemy titan by shooting another 3 d's at it.

Granted, it cool school as hell, but it is so very very terrible. it's also not going to help against a knight lancer, especially if that lancer is a seneschal, you only hit back on 6's and it will hit 3/4 times a round.

 

when do you get to use it, turn three?? what if it gets held up by fearless gaunts?? 

 

think about it this way.... one reaver vs another reaver, one has 3 more ranged d shots. who's going to win that fight?

 

please, please don't waste your money on a close combat weapon, unless it's just a display model

[jeffersonian000]

oh no... not the fist, it still only swings...twice? hitting of 4's or 5's?. you are far more likely to kill an enemy titan by shooting another 3 d's at it.

Granted, it cool school as hell, but it is so very very terrible. it's also not going to help against a knight lancer, especially if that lancer is a seneschal, you only hit back on 6's and it will hit 3/4 times a round.

 

when do you get to use it, turn three?? what if it gets held up by fearless gaunts??

 

think about it this way.... one reaver vs another reaver, one has 3 more ranged d shots. who's going to win that fight?

 

please, please don't waste your money on a close combat weapon, unless it's just a display model

Spoken like a man that does not understand what makes Mecha cool. Everyone knows that there is only one efficient configuration: duel Laser Blasters and a Turbo-Laser. 8 D-Str blasts. However, us long time Apoc players know that that is the configuration least likely to make new friends or retain old friends. If you want to play 'Ard, you go all D. If you actually want to have fun, you take a more varied weapon mix. Taking a Power Fist is a declaration that you could have been That Guy, but chose not to. You can still be That a Guy, and have an awesome model sitting on the shelf instead of on the table.

 

SJ

[RADU LYKAN]

for my reaver i went with apoc launcher, laser blaster and melta cannon with the hope to get a fist at a later date

the laser blaster was for nuking superheavies, the melta was supposed to be for nuking massed vehicle formations (bought during 5th before hit points/damagetable nerf etc) and the apocalypse launcher for taking out troops 

its still in its box untouched but one day i will get it to the table :)

[Still Standing]

Mine came with the standard weapons, Laser Blaster, Gatling Blaster and Apoc Launcher. I didn't have weapon options like you young uns! However, that's a versatile and useful build. Yes, it could be nastier, but who cares? It still wrecks armies.

 

As for my Warhound, it came with Vulcan Mega Bolter and Plasma Blaster. I quickly realised that the Vulcan Mega Bolter is actually quite useless, and tore it off. Mine now has a Turbo-Laser and Plasma Blaster. Useful loadout.