Sicaran Tactics/Variants

[caladancid]

My initial idea for a completed White Scars army was to use fliers in Heavy Support along with Preds, but now I am thinking that I would like to use exclusively Sicarans.

 

Any thoughts on how I could do this most effectively?

 

I currently have a Punisher assault tank, and am trying to figure out the last two spots.  Seems to me that I should get a Venator, and possibly even two.

 

I haven't heard or seen anyone using the plasma or rocket variants, so any thoughts on those would be much appreciated.

[Charlo]

Venator is a must. It stops the enemies big nasty guns from firing, especially if you are running jet bikes who do not like big templates etc.

[LtDan]

Depends what your army is lacking the most?. Would def say a venator tho. The rocket one might be quiet versatile too

[caladancid]

I think the army is lacking in armor busting for sure.

 

My only issue with the Arcus is I can’t quite image what it would be best at, other than crushing Mechanicum lists.

[TompiQ]

I really like the Arcus in concept, however it undoubtedly pays a premium for being able to cover several battlefield roles at once. On the one hand, you have a tank that does medium anti armour roughly as well as the standard Sicaran with autocannons (less shots and no twin-link means it doesn't quite reach the same HP stripping efficiency, but it's still a capable weapon vs anything below AV14 due to higher strength and better AP), especially with lascannon sponsons. On top of this you can kit it out to handle air targets as well as horde targets, which is great. The issue is that this flexibility is still tied to a single AV13/12/12 3HP chassis, meaning it's a lot of points in a brittle basket.

 

The main issue with the Arcus is that the standard Sicaran does pretty much all those things almost as well, though. The AA warheads aimed at a flyer nets you 2.66 S7ap3 hits, the autocannons 1.83 S7ap4 rending hits. The benefit of the Arcus is 0.8 hits, ap3 if vs Mechanicum, and interceptor. Versus hordes and proper spacing, the 5.33 hits scored by the autocannons should perform well enough to rival the large blasts, albeit this comes down to spacing.

 

In the end, the only target the Arcus excels at is versus heavy infantry, especially 2W terminators. But I'd probably never pay the premium of the Arcus for such a niche when I can just pick up plasma elsewhere.

[ShadowCore67]

Arcus is the best variant IMO. Just give it the skyspear missiles and you have good AT and AA. Other than its points cost, I think its better than the standard sicaran in almost everyway.

 

The venator is a must if you're looking for dedicated anti tank. Even if it doesnt kill it's target it still cripples it.

Edited December 27, 2017 by ShadowCore67

[Stargazer1st]

I really like the Arcus in concept, however it undoubtedly pays a premium for being able to cover several battlefield roles at once. On the one hand, you have a tank that does medium anti armour roughly as well as the standard Sicaran with autocannons (less shots and no twin-link means it doesn't quite reach the same HP stripping efficiency, but it's still a capable weapon vs anything below AV14 due to higher strength and better AP), especially with lascannon sponsons. On top of this you can kit it out to handle air targets as well as horde targets, which is great. The issue is that this flexibility is still tied to a single AV13/12/12 3HP chassis, meaning it's a lot of points in a brittle basket.

 

The main issue with the Arcus is that the standard Sicaran does pretty much all those things almost as well, though. The AA warheads aimed at a flyer nets you 2.66 S7ap3 hits, the autocannons 1.83 S7ap4 rending hits. The benefit of the Arcus is 0.8 hits, ap3 if vs Mechanicum, and interceptor. Versus hordes and proper spacing, the 5.33 hits scored by the autocannons should perform well enough to rival the large blasts, albeit this comes down to spacing.

 

In the end, the only target the Arcus excels at is versus heavy infantry, especially 2W terminators. But I'd probably never pay the premium of the Arcus for such a niche when I can just pick up plasma elsewhere.

Remember the arcus fires twice when it doesn't move, so it can put out more shots than the normal sicaran.

 

I'm currently testing the arcus in my terror assault list. I've had one game with it and i really like it so far. The ani air missiles are a big help but the normal missile are solid too, just pick your shots well and don't be afraid to move, fast lets you set up future shots well and you don't loose all of your shooting to do it.

[TompiQ]

 

I really like the Arcus in concept, however it undoubtedly pays a premium for being able to cover several battlefield roles at once. On the one hand, you have a tank that does medium anti armour roughly as well as the standard Sicaran with autocannons (less shots and no twin-link means it doesn't quite reach the same HP stripping efficiency, but it's still a capable weapon vs anything below AV14 due to higher strength and better AP), especially with lascannon sponsons. On top of this you can kit it out to handle air targets as well as horde targets, which is great. The issue is that this flexibility is still tied to a single AV13/12/12 3HP chassis, meaning it's a lot of points in a brittle basket.

 

The main issue with the Arcus is that the standard Sicaran does pretty much all those things almost as well, though. The AA warheads aimed at a flyer nets you 2.66 S7ap3 hits, the autocannons 1.83 S7ap4 rending hits. The benefit of the Arcus is 0.8 hits, ap3 if vs Mechanicum, and interceptor. Versus hordes and proper spacing, the 5.33 hits scored by the autocannons should perform well enough to rival the large blasts, albeit this comes down to spacing.

 

In the end, the only target the Arcus excels at is versus heavy infantry, especially 2W terminators. But I'd probably never pay the premium of the Arcus for such a niche when I can just pick up plasma elsewhere.

Remember the arcus fires twice when it doesn't move, so it can put out more shots than the normal sicaran.

 

I'm currently testing the arcus in my terror assault list. I've had one game with it and i really like it so far. The ani air missiles are a big help but the normal missile are solid too, just pick your shots well and don't be afraid to move, fast lets you set up future shots well and you don't loose all of your shooting to do it.

 

 

I did indeed forget that tidbit, was quite some time since I actively looked at its rules! That does even out the performance compared to the Battle Tank, making it much more effective as AA and giving it an edge vs all the other targets. As long as your list allows for it to remain stationary that is, which is sort of a shame on a fast chassis.

[Fangbanger]

The venators is not all it's cracked up to be and I certainly wouldn't rely on it blowing up av14 often.

 

Sure it can make super heavies snapshot, but you will find it happens rarely.

 

I generally feel disappointed when fielding mine and I've used it for near on 3 years just because I have it.

[caladancid]

Well, if not Venators, then what? I can't see any other variant doing better against armor.  For the cost of a superheavy, I would have two shooting at whatever it is.

[Arion]

Well, if not Venators, then what? I can't see any other variant doing better against armor.  For the cost of a superheavy, I would have two shooting at whatever it is.

 

The problem with a Venator is that it only spits out two shots. And high-strength and AP does nothing if your first shot misses and your second gets saved on a 4+ invulnerable or something. Having a pair of Vindicators with Laser Destroyer Arrays is far superior for 70pts more (barebones Venator vs 2x barebones Vindicators with Laser Destroyer Arrays). You get between 2 to 6 shots based on whether you move, compared to the Venators 2 shots. You lose fast, side and rear AV but you double HP, potentially triple fire output, can split fire, etc.

That being said, the Venator is an awesome model and I love mine. I just don't expect it to do miracles (especially against flare-shielded Spartans...).

[Imren]

For you to be happier in the long run with solving this issue I'd recommend you to look at this question from a different perspective and ask yourself what tactical capability are you looking for rather than what Sicaran to buy next.

 

If your planned list is missing units that can reliably take out AV14 (Typhons and Spartans), I'd recommend to get a Lightning strike fighter with Kraken penetrators. As a flyer it gives you some additional protection and more tactical flexibility in terms of line of sight, less dependency on movement and deployment of enemy target tank.

 

Another very thematic antitank option for you especially being White Scars is a unit of three Javelins, equip each of them with missile launchers (don't go lascannons, you just get one twin-linked shot from each lascannon for extra 10p each, statistically, your better off with the missile launcher), 2x hunter killer missiles and multimelta. They get strafing run against ground targets (BS5), so this unit will pump out 12x S8 missiles against tanks, 6 of them are twin linked, on top of that 3x S8 shots from the multimelta in case you don't get close in enough to benefit from the melta rule, this unit comes in at 255p. Against AV14 that most likely have ceramite armour this unit will instead just be able to glance it to death, so not as efficient as lightning strike fighter, however much more tactically flexible and able to be efficient against a wider spectrum of enemy units, good for tournaments.

 

If your meta is Spartan/Typhon heavy and your list lacks anti-AV14, go for a Lightning strike fighter. if you rather want more generic antitank unit with more tactical flexibility, go for the Javelin unit.

 

Above suggestions presumes you already have your AA sorted although a lightning strike fighter can still threaten other flyers after it unloaded it Kraken penetrators. A Sicaran Arcus might be a good option if you don't have any other AA in your list. But it is not nearly as mobile and also needs to be standing still to be efficient. So see the Arcus as a heavy support squad that needs to stand still to shoot but can shoot half of the shots if it moves.

Edited April 30, 2018 by Imren

[Hesh Kadesh]

Lightnings do nothing to a Spartan. A Spartans only role is to get a Deathstar/Zerker hordeinto enemy lines, which it gives it a Turn 2 assault. If you're relying on winning going first, and then not fudging the reserve roll to kill the Spartan, you might as well not bother.

 

The only way to stop a Spartan rush is by taking 2 Graviton Rapier Batteries, or a combination of Medusa Battery/Dreadnought Graviton Drop Pods.

[Bung]

Sorry for the thread neccromancy but it seemed the most fitting.

 

So i got another Sicaran as a present for christmas this year and i dont have any idea how to fit it in a list.

I already own an Arcus and a Punisher Variant and i like both of them. 

Now i got the third one an Omega Tank Destroyer.

 

Honestly i dont ahve any idea how to use it except for suicide attacks with its 24" range.

As it was a present i am going to field it anyways, but i would like to have some input on how to use it except for bullet catching.

As i play Imperial Fist it could work if i hold it back to catch some deep striking units in a gun line list or using it in an Armoured Breakthrough list but does anyone have another idea on how to use it?