Contemptor Loadouts

[Hesh Kadesh]

HS;

 

Deathstorm Drop Pods

Heavy Support Squads

Predator Squadrons

Land Raider Squadrons

Fire Raptors

Achilles Alpha

0-1 Artillery Tank Squadron

Vindicator

Spartan

Caestus

Sicaran Venators

Sicaran

Kharybdis

Scorpius

Deredeo

 

Of those, the Deathstorm and Kharybdis are niche and rarely used. The Vindicator is pretty supremely underpowered in 30k. The Demolisher Cannon is still useful, but with the Scorpius or the Magna-melta Predator available it becomes much less useful.

 

The Scorpius provides extra anti-meq ability. In a meta revolving around MEQ's, that you'd need to take specific options to take on MEQ's is ridiculous; added to the fact that a Plasma Deredeo +Aiolos can do it much better, and also take on TEQ's. It's only the S8 which makes the Scorpius better, and as good a toy as it is, most armies should be able to function well enough vs MEQ's with something else replacing it. It's other benefit is that it's cheap however. 

 

I quite like the Sicaran Venator, but again, I think there are better options (and I'm also a little bit spoiled by Tank Hunting Meltas' and massed Graviton meaning that I don't need to rely on forcing a tank to Snap shot. I do see its value against heavier tanks however. The Sicaran itself is pretty good; but I think that it fulfils the same role slightly as a Deredeo, but lacks AA to make it useful. It is good against taking down thinks like Skyhunters and Outriders, but despite ignoring Jink, the collection of 2+ and 3+ saves just makes that ignores jink just a bit too weak despite the number of wounds it can cause, making it limited to taking down hovering transports; but as Legion flyers, the AV12 and 3-4 HP is highly resilient; S8 Sunder is just that bit better.

 

Land Raiders; a cheap Terminator squad is a decent threat for really cheap. You can pick up a Command Squad or Terminator Squad and take a Spartan or Land Raider in that way, and get use out of it. What kind of list and what points level are you playing when you have all of your HQ, Elites and/or Troops completely full as well as your Heavy Support and you STILL need to get a Land Raider of some variation within. Land Raider Achilles are a bit niche in that regard, but at around 300pts a pop for either the Achilles or the Alpha variant, and you still want to get more, wouldn't you do better with a Deredeo and a Quad Mortar? 

 

That leaves you with Caestus, Fire Raptors or Predator Squadrons. Fire Raptors can take on light AA like the primaris, but lack the maneuverability, and weapon strength to adequately take on legion flyers. Caestus are massively overpriced; and their magnamelta is immense at taking on FNP Blobs of things like Terminators or other MEQ's, and can play Ram party with scoring infantry nice and secure in their uparmoured hull, because AV13 because that's why. Predators are cheap AV13 ground vehicles. I don't see a point in massively tarting them up, just field as much of an AV13 wall as you possibly can with your choices.

 

I rarely see Predators or Caestus, so you're making a choice between a Fire Raptor which is obviously better against ground targets, but suffers against Aircraft, or the Deredeo, which is reasonably capable against infantry and medium vehicles, while excellent against aircraft, and between forcing jink or just sheer damage output, it can shut down a massive threat range.

 

If High Strength Low AP weapons were more capable, then a TLLas Contemptor would be immense; the range, high damage, and decent chance of destruction would make it good option. The Mortis has an "excellent" reputation, because it made the best of a bad job, and was really one of the few AA options a legion list had on the ground. Compared to others, it was the best, but it's still a Static 24" S6 weapon; which against flyers with AV12 is a bit of a bad deal. Imperial Fists and Alpha Legion can do alright with Stubborn Tank Hunting Flakk Missile Heavy Weapon Squads; but their Interceptor was limited to 18"; and they're hella expensive.