Marking Tanks and Psychic Powers

[Iron Father Ferrum]

So I'm poking around, adjusting my army list, and I noticed that they too can be given Marks.  It won't do much for most of the stratagems (which are Infantry- and Biker-specific), but the Mark-specific psychic powers can all benefit tanks.

 

 

Weaver of Fates: This one is probably the weakest power for our tanks.  The most common anti-tank weapons are AP-3 or less, with only meltas and the like exceeding it.  A 3+ save, on a Rhino for example, becomes a 6+ so there is some use for a 5++, but the Land Raider doesn't gain any benefit unless its being melta'd.

 

Miasma of Pestilence: This looks like a good one.  -1 to hit with a good way to deflect some of the incoming fire that vehicles do have a tendency to attract.  Especially given that heavy weapons suffer to hit penalties when moving, it can swing BS3+ shots to BS4+ or 5+.  Sounds like it will be especially beneficial when facing aircraft, most of which have few or no ways to avoid that swing in to-hits.

 

Delightful Agonies: Another decent one.  A single 5+ (such as from an armor save), isn't impressive and the odds are against you.  But two saves, back to back?  That dramatically increases your chances of survival.  Unlike the other two, however, this one also provides a save against mortal wounds, one of the easiest ways to push damage onto high-durability units like vehicles.

 

 

So if you had to Mark some tanks, which Marks would you choose for which vehicles, and why?

[Panzer]

Slaanesh because d'uh I play Emperor's Children. :P

 

For a mixed list? Probably Nurgle. To-hit modifier are huge and the weapons who usually ignore it are normally no real threat for vehicles (aka Flamer). The 5+ FnP is nice but against multi-damage weapons it's not THAT nice anymore (very likey to prevent some of the damage, but extremely unlikely to prevent all of it) and since vehicles would usually get targeted by multi-damage weapons...

 

For which vehicles I'd use it? Well I prefer Daemon engines and Helbrutes for my dakka so I usually don't run Preds or Landraider in my CSM lists. Leaves me with the Rhino. I guess making a Rhino more durable is never bad. ^^

[MasterDeath]

Just a reminder: The Tzeentch Spell is way better on Daemon Engines, than on normal ones. Basically I would say Nurgle, because -1 to hit also hits Plasma Weapons hard. The 5+ Feel no Pain is also good, but while the  Nurgle Spell is an all or nothing thing the Slaanesh one tends to "flatten" the damage if you know what I try to say here.

 

So if you expect just a few heavy weapons and you have chance of no damage altogether: Nurgle, if you go for Daemon Engines: maybe Tzeentch, if there are so many Heavy Weapons that you will suffer damage: Slaanesh. And always remember: They can always target the other tank.

[Brother Aiwass]

But there's always a hot target. If you want to ensure the land raider to reach its intended target, nurgle is the way to go against low BS armies. Yes, they can shot at you predator or whatever other tanks you have, but this is ok because you mess with your opponent target priority.

[Commissar K.]

It's pretty much all said here

- Tzeentch's Weaver of Fates is great with the Daemonic but indeed otherwise not all too exciting, though this is typical for a 5++ I believe because it isn't too often a 3+ save drops under 5+ anyway, it can be cool for certain niche situations but as said most tanks that get hit with specific anti-tank guns arn't too likely to survive even with a 5++. However this certainly changes the moment we're talking about Maulerfiends, Defilers or Heldrakes. Typically though I'd say this Psychic Power is not so much designed for Vehicles anyway.
- Nurgle's Miasma of Pestilence is fantastic to use allround, both units and Vehicles can really benifit from it. I also assume this stacks with Smokelaunchers? (still am uncertain about stacking in 40K)
- Slaanesh's Delightful Agonies is the best for sure however as a 5+++ that goes per wound is just the best option we have to hopefully deduct something of D6/3 wound damage weapons. 

Overall when we'd focus on non-Daemonic Vechicles Slaanesh would win out. Some interesting notes can still be made for World Eater and Iron Warriors Vehicles also, as Scorn of Sorcery and Iron Within, Iron Without do work on them also. The latter can offcouse be used in combination with any mark which can make it very difficult to remove overall. 
Typically though I'd say that all the above spells are even better to be used on units in most cases. Vehicles have the added advantage of being tough as a brick anyway this edition and to me this often means that buffing units makes for a less single plan army versus having a plan a, b and c.
Lastly something I think is still worth noting is that Chaos Lords and all special characters do some fine buffing for Vehicles near them anyway. A special mention goes out to Abaddon and Khârn who allow for full failed re-rolls. Offense always is the best defence

Cheers,
 

Edited August 28, 2017 by Commissar K.

[Panzer]

It's pretty much all said here

 

- Tzeentch's Weaver of Fates is great with the Daemonic but indeed otherwise not all too exciting, though this is typical for a 5++ I believe because it isn't too often a 3+ save drops under 5+ anyway, it can be cool for certain niche situations but as said most tanks that get hit with specific anti-tank guns arn't too likely to survive even with a 5++. However this certainly changes the moment we're talking about Maulerfiends, Defilers or Heldrakes. Typically though I'd say this Psychic Power is not so much designed for Vehicles anyway.

- Nurgle's Miasma of Pestilence is fantastic to use allround, both units and Vehicles can really benifit from it. I also assume this stacks with Smokelaunchers? (still am uncertain about stacking in 40K)

- Slaanesh's Delightful Agonies is the best for sure however as a 5+++ that goes per wound is just the best option we have to hopefully deduct something of D6/3 wound damage weapons. 

 

Yes, all things can stack as long as it's from different sources and allowed to do so by its wording. In the nightfight mission (where there're to-hit modifier based on range) it's even possible to give a nurgle tank with smoke launcher a -5 to-hit modifier. Apparently a tank using smokelauncher and a huge cloud of nurgle fart in the middle of the night a few km away is hard to spot...who knew. :D

[Commissar K.]

Great to hear, well that certainly adds up, puts the Nurgle spell in a good place for second best choice for me on a regular Chaos Vechicle.

Then again there is also a lot to be said for Daemonic Vehicles altogether, while I initially glanced over the Daemonforge Stratagem I'm respecting it more and more. A 4+ to hit isn't great but re-rolling that all with all wounds certainly adds up to something potent quickly. Killshot on the other hand is also a great Stratagem but really bends army building, it's all possible to include but I think many would agree that CSM offer so much more cool models as the Chaos Predator.

In general though I think that the Marks on Forge World arsenal will matter even more than just the CSM entries. As always the more points you can buff with a single Stratagem or spell the better offcourse.
 

[micahwc]

Slanesh. Smite and Warp Flux and other such powers will put a lot of damage on a tank while completely ignoring it's armor and toughness. FNP gives you a chance to stop that from happening.

 

I killed a Banehammer and a Vendetta in a single match using 6 Malefic Lords casting Warp Flux/Smite every turn. It's by far the easiest way to take down a hard target, especially if the opponent brought no psykers to deny.