Stormlord?

[Inso]

So, I am thinking about getting a couple of Stormlords to use as transport for my Squat platoons (each platoon has 31 troops at the moment).

 

I've looked at the datafax and they can carry 40 troops so I have enough room for my platoons (and a Stormlord is just one vehicle, rather than three transports with my heavy weapon team walking alongside) so that is good.

 

I am tempted to leave off the side sponsons just so they look cleaner... 

 

Are they any good?

 

Do they assemble easily?

[WarriorFish]

Each Baneblade variant has a role to perform - even if in the BB's case that's simple "be a giant Leman Russ" The Stormlord as you'd expect is all about the transport capacity so that's how best to use it; as a mobile bunker. It has some pretty good fire power too, but it will be eggs in a basket syndrome so be careful of things like fast moving foes especially the likes of pods.

As for building it, it's pretty easy helped out by the scale Don't forget it can be magnetised so you can have all of the variants

[CoffeeGrunt]

The Stormlord may be a bit much to use as a dedicated Transport, but it would work. The main cannon can be fired twice if it stands still, so you have the ability to sit still and hold ground pretty well if you want to.

[morroccomole]

To build upon Coffee's comment, you might use a Stormlord-mounted force like most people use mechanized guard. That being, sitting tight for a turn or two (mostly until alpha strike has been resolved,) while firing the full compliment, and then moving forwards to mop up. Especially sweet since your transport fires weapons independently, and is treated as an assault vehicle.

[Inso]

Cheers for the answers :)

 

With them weighing in at 500pts, would you take the option of adding a second pair of sponsons for an extra 100 pts or would you take the option of leaving just the two or removing them for the armour boost?

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

I've certainly been wanting a baneblade for a while now, but never really had the strong urge to buy one until my friend bought his warlord. I certainly plan to magnetize, as I'll need to. But when I'm not running 3 Shadowswords against my Friend, I'll certainly be fielding a Stormlord to ferry my platoon around in, more frequently than a baneblade.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Cheers for the answers

With them weighing in at 500pts, would you take the option of adding a second pair of sponsons for an extra 100 pts or would you take the option of leaving just the two or removing them for the armour boost?

To what armor boost do you refer? As far as I can tell the only downside to adding the sponsons is cost.

[WarriorFish]

For the initial outlay in cost there is a strong argument for paying a little more for the sponsons. From there, not much more to add a second set - don't forget these weapons are immune to being destroyed and may target individually which makes them much more worthwhile than you may initially think.

 

As for the armour boost there's a reason why you're scratching your head Ulrik is that this is an old rule. In the distant past leaving sponsons off gave the side armour a boost to AV14 but unfortunately this rule has vanished.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

As for the armour boost there's a reason why you're scratching your head Ulrik is that this is an old rule. In the distant past leaving sponsons off gave the side armour a boost to AV14 but unfortunately this rule has vanished.

Ah, there it is. I played very little during 3rd, none during 4th, 5th, and 6th, and only recently became acquainted with super heavy vehicles.

[CoffeeGrunt]

It was a Forge World/Apocalypse rule IIRC. Removed in Escalation onwards.

 

I personally rate the addition of the sponsons, because you get 140pts worth of weaponry for 100pts, which can target independently, are mounted on a durable chassis, can't be Shaken/Stunned, etc, etc.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

As this thread is only a couple weeks old, I hope his doesn't count as threadromancy ... Just wanted to bump this to see if anyone has any actual experience using a Stormlord? I'm just seeing theoryhammer here. Im tempted to get one for my DKoK platoon to ride in when I take them to the big 2800 point annual narrative event up here (one day).

[CommanderHall]

As this thread is only a couple weeks old, I hope his doesn't count as threadromancy ... Just wanted to bump this to see if anyone has any actual experience using a Stormlord? I'm just seeing theoryhammer here. Im tempted to get one for my DKoK platoon to ride in when I take them to the big 2800 point annual narrative event up here (one day).

I have used a Stormlord a few times now, it has always excelled, even more so than a Baneblade, the number of shots it makes cause a lot more wounds.

 

It's so good I don't actually use it unless I make everyone know beforehand. Especially with techpriests and servitors inside to auto repair hull points.

[Shamansky]

Excellent vehicle! Needs techpriests and servitors inside. add some very shooty passengers and get troll-drive_by-party van.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks comrades.

 

I thought it would be good against all the monstrous creatures of there (wraith Knights and riptides) again given the high volume of strength 6 ap 3.

 

Might even have a chance at picking off the occasional flyer too.

 

Good tip about a tech priest.

 

One more question ... What book do I need to buy to have the current rules for the Stormlord?

[duz_]

Either the montka campaign supplement or better yet the digital Cadia supplement which has all the IG formations to date as well as the banebslde datasheets

 

http://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/supplement-cadia.html

 

The montka supplement wont have the formations from the red waggh where as the cadia supplement does

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Thanks, Duz.

 

Looks like I'll have to get that digital Cadia supplement. I am really liking the idea of a Stormlord and we haven't even talked about the possibility of having 40 WS4 Death Korps troops assaulting out of it as if it were open-topped.

 

EDIT: I think I know what I'm doing for next year's ETL. Representing the Guard with a super-heavy :)  The timing should work out well too. I'm pushing to get my BA successors done for a big event end of November, then I'll probably take some time off from painting, then I can focus on getting everything except the Stormlord ready then come May make the big purchase.

[dadieau]

I like to pack my Stormlord with heavy weapons teams. Between the Stormlord and the troops inside there is enough fire power to handle just about anything. The problem is if your opponent gets lucky you can lose a lot of points pretty quickly.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

I'm not too focused on running a stormlord, as I'm not sure what I have that I'd really want to put in it. I suppose I could put my Infantry platoon in it, but that just seems a waste.

 

I don't know how many units it can embark, only that it's more than one. I suppose I could put a Solar Auxilia Veletaris Tercio in it...

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

I don't think a DKoK platoon would be a waste at all. They are actually fairly respectable in close combat.

[Kilofix]

I've used a Stormlord (singular) as a close combat troop (Ogryns, DCA, etc.) ferry a bunch of times. The problem I have is that it has (comparatively) weak rear armor, so once it's in close combat range a bunch of Krak (albeit this was before the grenade FAQ) and a good Melta or two and it suddenly becomes a huge bomb.

 

Because of that, I leave it unupgraded.

 

But if you're using it to move Troops around away from the front lines, then maybe it will be more viable.

 

As a dedicated CC troop ferry, I prefer the Gorgon instead. It dies even faster to rear attacks but then it's cheaper, has a front invul, and higher transport capacity.

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Well, I guess this is a bonus to the huge neutering that krak grenades and meltabombs took from the FAQ -- makes my plan to invest in a Stormlord even more viable!

[calgar101]

I use mine as a fire based, keep it stationary to fire the main gun twice. Fill the inside with as many heavy weapon teams as possible.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

I plan to get one for my conversion to Solar Auxilia. Truly a rolling fortress there. I would of course magnetize it so that I can use any variant, but the stormlord just seems to be the most useful.

[calgar101]

Definitely agree with you about it being the material useful. Baneswords are pretty cool too with their massive range.