Anti-Tank (AV14) Options?

[Totengraber]

Played a 1750 game on Saturday against a AM Tank Company with SM allies. His three Leman Russes stayed behind barricades and just decimated my infantry and tanks. The SM dropped in via Drop Pods and assaulted my blobs. It felt pretty hopeless. The anti-tank options I thought would work were Lascannons in one blob, Autocannons in another, a melta-vet unit and a LR Executioner with plasma all around and a LR Battle Tank. The rest of my army was made up of infantry and Chimeras.

 

After the game my opponent suggested bringing Vanquisher(s) to deal with armies like his. Any other thoughs on how to deal with these AV14 tanks?

 

On another (related?) note, what are Wyverns good at removing? Seems like these are well-used in most lists.

[scatmandoo]

Wyverns are good at removing most infantry, but specialise in weaker units.

 

As for your anti-tank, did you have orders to buff the inf mounted weapons? How were your dice?

 

Vanquisher can be good, but mostly with Pask to make it effective due to bs4 and re-roll pen.

 

Melta for close work, the Vendetta still normally puts in a good shift, even sentinels can work.

[GreyCrow]

Vanquishers, special weapons teams with Meltas, Heavy Weapons platforms with Lascannons, Vendettas, Demolishers

[CoffeeGrunt]

Vanquishers can struggle with targets in cover, though, and are let down by being a BS3 1-shot weapon. They also still need a 6 to kill a tank, making them AV14 Hull-Point plinkers most of the time.

 

The two most robust options are A, Lascannon spam, probably from HWTs though Sentinels may be desirable due to their mobility. A pity they can't take Multi-Meltas to Outflank with! Vendettas also perform well in this category. Option B is Melta, and lots of it. Special Weapon Squads with a bunch are handy dropping out of the back of said Vendetta, but lining up the attack run may be tough.

 

Or there's always the Demolisher, which makes everything hurt a bit!

[Seahawk]

Don't forget Manticores! Great for eliminating vehicles, especially when you take multiples, even if out of LOS!

 

D3 S10 shots that roll two dice and take the highest for pen is fantastic.

[Median]

I found that 5 man squads of scions with meltas deepstriking behind the armour works well. They are a little hit or miss, if you dont destroy it then you are gonna die....actually to be honest even if you do kill it something else will kill them next turn anyways lol.

[Kilofix]

Vanquisher - long range Armorbane

 

Vets with Melta Bomb - lots of hits if close combat

 

Basilisk - Ordinance avoids frontal cover

 

Scions with Melta - Deep Strike behind enemy lines

[WarriorFish]

Yeah, Vanquishers are only good when they hit. Even then against AV14 in cover not the most viable option. As mentioned there's plenty of other options. If deep striking some melta or outflanking some Sentinels (don't forget to charge into CC!) don't work there's always the classic pie plate solution. A Manticore or two will lay down plenty of S10 to upset the army and Basilisks are great at hitting side armour hard :)

 

If drop pods are causing you trouble then you need to split your squads up so he can't focus fire. Surround, outnumber and drown them in dice, especially if you can control landing sites but populating them with units. There's always the option of a welcoming committee - some plasma Vets or a Banewolf will roll out a red carpet for them... red with blood that is!

[Boomkapow]

One thing you can do is put 3 Infantry Squads combined with 3 Lascannons. Then a priest and a Psycher with Prescience. That combined with a split fire order from a PCS will give you 3 Twin linked Lascannons in a massive, fearless unit. Sure it may be a bit pricy, but taking out tanks is what it does and it does it well. 

[Altasmurf]

Sorry Boom but split fire only allows one of those lascannons to fire at a different target. I've never been a big fan of the blob lascannon approach leaves you very vulnerable to barrage units which can center on your priest and remove your fearless and just destroy your squad. I would rather use 2 heavy weapon squads with the understanding 1 is probably dead by turn 2 but the other will get some shots off backed up by melta units.

[Boomkapow]

I realized this the other day. And looked it up in the rules and you are right. This being the case I would probably prefer Autocannons so they can hit light-ish vehicles or infantry. But you are right Altasmurf, this does render that squad rather less useful.