Hammer of Caliban + New Psychic Powers

[L30n1d4s]

Most people seem to think that the Hammer of Caliban formation from the DA codex (i.e. Techmarine, 1 Land Raider variant, 1 squadron of 3 x Predators/Vindicators/Whirlwinds) is not very competitive and a bit of a "clunky" unit. Generally, I would agree with them, but with advent of the new Psychic Disciplines (Librarius, Technomancy, Fulmination, Geokinesis), having all of these vehicles in a single formation can actually be an advantage.

 

For example, if you cast Warpmetal Armor (from Technomancy) on the formation, then the Land Raider becomes AV15/15/15, any Predators/Vindicators become AV14/12/11, and even Whirlwinds become AV12/12/11. This obviously makes the entire formation very survivable, especially if you position the AV15 Land Raider correctly to "tank" for the rest of the vehicles.

 

Similarly, if you place this formation on a Skyshield Landing Pad for a 4++ save and the cast the new Veil of Time power (from Librarius discipline) on it, then all four vehicles gets a re-rollable 4++ against enemy shooting.

 

If the Hammer of Caliban vehicles are about to be assaulted by a close combat deathstar, then cast Electrodisplacement (from Fulmination discipline) on them and swap them with the Psyker and his Bodyguard of Deathwing Knights... then the tanks are safe to keep shooting and your Librarian/Knights can assault the enemy unit first, getting +1A for charging, denying them the charge, and dropping some righteous "smiting" on them.

 

One more option is to cast Phase Form (from the Geokinesis discipline) on the formation, giving all four vehicles to Move through Cover, Ignore Cover for their shooting, and the ability to target anything that is in range, EVEN if is not in LOS (imagine hitting an enemy Monstrous Creature hiding behind a building/out of LOS with 2 x TLLC from a Land Raider, 3 x TLLC from Predator Turrets, and 6 x Lascannons from Predator Sponsons, all with Ignore Cover and Monster Hunter... that is one dead Dreadknight, Wraithknight, Riptide, etc.!)

[Chaplain Lucifer]

Very cool combos. Maybe Hammer of Caliban gets to see more action from now on.

But the main con is that you still have to have 3 of each predator, whirlwind or vindicate... And many of us don't have such extended collection...

[DarkAngeal]

Is there any stipulations in the power making AV cap at 14?

[aura_enchanted]

Is there any stipulations in the power making AV cap at 14?

nope av15 away

 

funny enough is that this cast on a warlord makes him av16 making him invulernbable to everything that isnt s10/s d anyway which is just broken. how are you supposed to stop an av16 juggernaut exactly? and its feesable, its tournament feesable if they open the doors wide for forgeworld, a librarius conclave is like 345 or so after most fixings

[casb1965]

Only problem I see is that it is WC2 and affects ONE vehicle per casting not all vehicles within 24" you won't get many vehicles affected in one turn.

[Interrogator Stobz]

Very cool combos. Maybe Hammer of Caliban gets to see more action from now on.

But the main con is that you still have to have 3 of each predator, whirlwind or vindicate... And many of us don't have such extended collection...

I'm nearly ready mate, I actually just don't have enough witches painted up  (only two finished) ;)

[DarkAngeal]

 

 

Is there any stipulations in the power making AV cap at 14?

nope av15 away

 

funny enough is that this cast on a warlord makes him av16 making him invulernbable to everything that isnt s10/s d anyway which is just broken. how are you supposed to stop an av16 juggernaut exactly? and its feesable, its tournament feesable if they open the doors wide for forgeworld, a librarius conclave is like 345 or so after most fixings

Can still get wrecked by meltas

[Liberame]

Warlord has a rule that it ignores all psychics except witch fire with strength value. That being said, I'm glad I own 3 of every marine vehicle, 3 large blasts with ignore cover vindies seems better than one giant blast

[Interrogator Stobz]

Triple Vindies are the Bomb!!!  They'd probably need to be with an LRC or LRR to synergise the ranges of their weapons best, a normal LR would still be ok but make the most of things when you own the 24" bubble.

[L30n1d4s]

Too bad you can't take a Land Raider Ares... then you would have 4 x S10 AP2 Ignore Cover Pie Plates! ;)

[aura_enchanted]

 

 

Is there any stipulations in the power making AV cap at 14?

nope av15 away

 

funny enough is that this cast on a warlord makes him av16 making him invulernbable to everything that isnt s10/s d anyway which is just broken. how are you supposed to stop an av16 juggernaut exactly? and its feesable, its tournament feesable if they open the doors wide for forgeworld, a librarius conclave is like 345 or so after most fixings

Can still get wrecked by meltas

 

please explain that line of thought? an MM is strength 8 so you would need to roll and 8 to glance/pen on a d6 which is impossible. gravs glance on a 6 but thats a MOUNTIAN of grav and you have to get it to range and use it before he gets a shot off because when he does thats 6 large plates and 2 apoc plates of str D ignores cover coming down with furious anger and void shields to take on the return fire, lascannons now do nothing they need a 7. vinidcator blast plates at strength 10 finally need a 6 to glance and anything higher then that is str D and those have different rules

 

heres a short list of imperial weapons that can hurt an av16 vehicle (brace yourself its not long)

 

grav weaponry

demolisher cannons

thunderhammers on a strength 5 base

deathwing knights in smite

imperial knight combat fist

any strength D weapons

 

of these only the strength D can pen, everything else glances. against an army with no answer to av15+ natively in their army they would get steamrolled

 

av16 warlord would simply be unkillable with convenional arms available to most armies that are taken in bulk. eldar jetbikes are worthless, crisis suits wont work, marine bikes stand some chance at annoying it but they will do little then help you along your going to need something bigger to supplement them. you could play for objectives naturally but if pressganged into a kill him or lose the game situation you would die.. on the spot

[Interrogator Stobz]

Um, if I remember correctly, Melta on S8+2D6 to pen...

[L30n1d4s]

Why would Melta weapons not get 2D6 for their Penetration rolls? Does the Warlord have Armoured Ceramite or some other form of immunity to the Melta rule?

 

Also, you forgot a number of Imperial weapons that can damage AV16:

 

1 -Vanquisher Leman Russ (S8 AP2 Armourbane)

2 - Nemesis Dreadknight (which is S10 naturally)

3 - Basically all Dreadnoughts in the game (S10 with their Power Fists)

4 - Assault Centurions (S10 AP2 Armourbane Siege Drills)

5 - Vindicator Assassin (S10 Turbo Penetrator ammo)

6 - Techpriest Dominus with Uncreator Gauntlet (Relic that can remove up to D6 HPs a turn)

7 - Melta Bombs (S8 AP1 Armourbane)

8 - Kastellan Robots (with their S10 Power Fists)

9 - Mephiston with Sanguine Sword power on (S10)

10 - All Grey Knight units with Thunder Hammers and Hammerhand activated

11 - New "Machine Flense" power from the Technomancy discipline (removes D3 HPs)

12 - Medusa Artillery Tanks (S10 AP2 Amourbane)

13 - Manticore Artillery Tank (D3 S10 AP4 Pie Plates a turn)

14 - Deathstrike Artillery Tank (S10 Apocalyptic Blast)

15 - Psycannons/Heavy Psycannons (S7, on a roll of 6 gets Rending, so 7+6+D3, can actually get to 16 for a Glancing Hit on AV16)

16 - Psychic Maelstrom power from Telekinesis discipline (S10 AP2)

[BlackTriton]

 

 

funny enough is that this cast on a warlord makes him av16 making him invulernbable to everything that isnt s10/s d anyway which is just broken. how are you supposed to stop an av16 juggernaut exactly? and its feesable, its tournament feesable if they open the doors wide for forgeworld, a librarius conclave is like 345 or so after most fixings

 

May I ask what is this "warlord" you mention? the warlord titan? (I thought he was av14) 

and how does he get av 16?

 

sorry if this should be obvious.

[aura_enchanted]

 

 

 

funny enough is that this cast on a warlord makes him av16 making him invulernbable to everything that isnt s10/s d anyway which is just broken. how are you supposed to stop an av16 juggernaut exactly? and its feesable, its tournament feesable if they open the doors wide for forgeworld, a librarius conclave is like 345 or so after most fixings

 

May I ask what is this "warlord" you mention? the warlord titan? (I thought he was av14) 

and how does he get av 16?

 

sorry if this should be obvious.

 

a warlord titans AV is 15 front and sides + 1 is 16. he also has an invul save and void shields and like 30 hull points or some such nonsense

[BlackTriton]

 

a warlord titans AV is 15 front and sides + 1 is 16. he also has an invul save and void shields and like 30 hull points or some such nonsense

 

 

Thanks for the info, I do not look forward to meeting it on the table.

Av 16 or not.

[JeffJedi]

4 tanks on a landing pad? Seems like a stretch to me.

[Solrac]

Don't know about you guys but I've never seen a Warlord Titan in person let alone on a table.

 

Anywho all the new Psychic Powers are awesome. Already picked up my copy of the Supplement and Psychic Power cards :)

 

I would love to run the Hammer of Caliban with 3 Predators with Lascannons and that +1 AV Psychic Power. Pricey but would be amazing.

[Interrogator Stobz]

Unless you face MSU, then it's overkill like usual :P

[Liberame]

Don't forget chain fists

 

But since you guys are ignoring the fact that I said you can't make a warlord titan av16, here's a photograph to prove my point

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Yongshigi/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2016-04-14-23-49-14.png

 

So no, you can't make a warlord av16, and there are things that can effect av15, they just usually require armorbane, melta, or high strength. Preferably a combination of the 3 since haywire doesn't work.

 

Also you guys are forgetting about Lance, which drops armor down to 12

[Solrac]

Unless you face MSU, then it's overkill like usual :P

As long as the first kill is a pesky Imperial Knight or Wraith Knight they can MSU to their hearts content :)

[DarkAngeal]

Don't forget chain fists

 

But since you guys are ignoring the fact that I said you can't make a warlord titan av16, here's a photograph to prove my point

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y210/Yongshigi/Mobile%20Uploads/Screenshot_2016-04-14-23-49-14.png

 

So no, you can't make a warlord av16, and there are things that can effect av15, they just usually require armorbane, melta, or high strength. Preferably a combination of the 3 since haywire doesn't work.

 

Also you guys are forgetting about Lance, which drops armor down to 12

Um, why can't you do so? It is only immune to psychic attacks, not buffs.

[shabbadoo]

4 tanks on a landing pad? Seems like a stretch to me.

As well as lame, because...

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e245/btmcrae/BA_tank_fool.jpg

[Liberame]

Heh, guess I'm the idiot. I've always read psychic powers rather than psychic attacks.

[luthhero]

I'm super excited for No cover or LOS on the Hammer.  I may change the name to Capt. Hammer