Favorite Russ variants?

[micahwc]

I was wondering what people like to bring on their Russes.

 

For me personally, I've generally done either a basic Russ with just a battle cannon and a heavy bolter, or a Punisher with triple heavy bolters and storm bolter.

 

I want to try an Annihilator out of the Forge World index with triple heavy flamers. 4 lascannon shots while stationary and 3 heavy flamers to deter charging.

 

 

[duz_]

We talking performance wise or in general

 

 

I've always loved the plasmacutioner :D

Even in last edition when it would kill itself more times than not ... :ermm:

Fortunately this edition it also seems to be one of the better all rounders

 

The Demolisher has a special place in my heart as it was my first LR I bought in 3rd

Ill be testing it out in this edition my new list :)

[librisrouge]

I did and do love my demolishers. 24" isn't that big a penalty in the current game. Too many things are closing to worry about hitting across the table. It can dish out an average of 4 (more if catachan) lascannon+1 shots at a decent BS and when moving to boot. While I miss my templates, the demolisher is still sexy.

[Major Silva]

The Executioner with plasma sponsons and a lascannon. Very expensive when you put it on a tank commander shell but they have never let me down. From 5th edition to current I never leave home without one. It always pulls its weight.

[MARK0SIAN]

I almost always go for heavy bolters in the hull and on the sponsons regardless of what variant I run, the point saving usually means I can squeeze another tank in or something else :)

 

For the main variants I love the standard battle cannon but I also use the punisher a lot and the executioner :)

[WarriorFish]

The standard Russ has always been a favourite of mine, and reliably stalwart in lists. Maybe not the fanciest or best, but a very solid all rounder that you can rely on to handle most targets. While it has less capability to deal with infantry and such with the loss of templates in 8th this is not something Guard have trouble with elsewhere.

 

They continue to do good work for me in 8th, so I can recommend them I like to take hull lascannons partly for old school reasons with the heavy bolter sponsons, it's an extra bit of punch to help them threaten armour, but isn't necessary. The main gun does enough

[Wassa]

The conqueror is still one of the best ones.

 

From memory, it's less than 5 points more for an additional Storm Bolter, with the Battle Cannon being replaced with a 48" range Battle Cannon that can reroll all misses (if you shoot the Storm Bolter at the same target). It's almost an auto pick if you're going for a non Cadian regiment.

[sairence]

Codex i like the Battlecannon, potentially with a hull-Las.

 

FW, the Conqueror beats it hands down. I also have a soft spot for the Annihilator.

[Tirak]

A Catachan Conq is godlike. Unfortunately since the official model is hard to come by at this point, it's nearly impossible to field in certain tourney formats.

[Lord Blackwood]

The Executioner with a Las Cannon Hull Mount is my favorite. 
I often run a  Standard Battle Cannon one as my Tank commander. 

[MrZakalwe]

Basic battlecannon Russ with hull heavy bolter and no sponsons for standard tanks. It's cheapish, toughish, good against most targets and with the points saved you can get more in a list. 

[apologist]

Cheap 'n' cheerful, like Echo-118 and Lambda-74:

 

 

Not having sponsons makes them more manoeuvrable through the heavy terrain we typically use (the cow doesn't help).

 

+++

 

I also like the Eradicator, though that's mainly through contrariness. The blast shield just looks cool to me, and I love the dystopian sci-fi atomic tank concept.

 

[duz_]

Once I get around to building my standard LRBT I want to give the Eradicator a chance.

I think it has some merit, although situational. Will be good against orks and marines in cover.

[WarriorFish]

The problem I have with the Eradicator is that its special rule is mostly negated by just having an extra pip of AP - which other weapons have :(

[robofish7591]

I have always liked how the exterminator looked, but I just can't justify getting one since the regular battle tank is soooo much better.

[Wassa]

I really want to like the Exterminator, but generally I'd always go for the -AP of the Executioner or the range of the Battle Cannon.

 

It's pretty much just 2 autocannons that can fire twice with grinding advance.

[Harrowmaster]

The problem I have with the Eradicator is that its special rule is mostly negated by just having an extra pip of AP - which other weapons have

 

Doesn't the eradicator have the same ap as the battlecannon? 

[Tirak]

2 less strength and less than half the range though for 3 more points

[Harrowmaster]

The strength may be an issue in some cases (I find I normally have enough other str 8/9 shooting) but the range difference is negligible I would imagine on a standard board with a normal terrain distribution. 

[sairence]

The Eradicator is a cool idea, but it's very specialised. The Battlecannon is the better all-rounder because of S and range, the Executioner is better against Powerarmour. If it was cheaper than either option that specialisation could be good. As it stands though, you can just take either one of the other two and get much the same result while being more flexible.

 

 

As for that point on range...yes, it'll be neglible up until maybe T3. When there's not much left on the board and everything's spread out I often find I need that Battlecannon range to effectively threaten my opponents from a position of my choosing.

[WarriorFish]

 

The problem I have with the Eradicator is that its special rule is mostly negated by just having an extra pip of AP - which other weapons have

 

Doesn't the eradicator have the same ap as the battlecannon?

Indeed, but also as said you lose some strength which doesn't help and you may as well go Executioner to remove that +1 save from anything not just cover :confused:

 

I love my Eradicator, I was using it before it was cool (i.e. got the big points drop) but with how cover works now it's very niche in an edition/codex that doesn't really need it. I'm not expecting a fix from CA (sadly). It'll always have a special place in my heart though :P

[Colonel Cross]

I converted up a Conqueror out of a nova cannon a year ago.  It was fairly easy to do with some green stuff and a storm bolter and that thing is a freaking beast.  Then I usually rock a TC with battle cannon, las cannon, and either heavy bolters or plasma cannons depending on points.  His wingman is usually a battle cannon + las cannon tank (I use the stratagem for an extra order OR just keep him close to Harker).  Then I rock a punisher with triple heavy flamers to move up the board with a hellhound and infantry.  Now, this isn't the most optimised, but it is fairly versatile and helps create some issues for my opponents to rank my threats.  It works in friendly games.  I wouldn't take these options to a tournament.  But it is diverse and, therefore, fun!

[Frater Cornelius]

Efficiency? I like the Battle Cannon these days due to range and not needing to overheat, along with 3 HB. However, in casual games, I always put the classic on the table, namely the Battle Tank with HB sponsons and hull LC. It is finally playable!

 

Beyond that, I like the 3HB Punisher and I am playing around with wacky variants such as a close support Demolisher with HF and MM sponsons.

[MrZakalwe]

Efficiency? I like the Battle Cannon these days due to range and not needing to overheat, along with 3 HB. However, in casual games, I always put the classic on the table, namely the Battle Tank with HB sponsons and hull LC. It is finally playable!

 

Beyond that, I like the 3HB Punisher and I am playing around with wacky variants such as a close support Demolisher with HF and MM sponsons.

 

Run that as Vostroyan with a heavy bolter rather than flamer and that's not so wacky. Overcosted as hell but very, very dangerous.

 

30" range MMs and demolisher cannon make quite a difference.

[Diagramdude]

The bare bones Catachan Conqueror is 155 pts of lean, efficient death. The value of the rerolls goes up as the vehicle degrades. Access to reroll all is rare for guard and the conqueror is even better because it is worded "reroll any hit rolls" not reroll missed hits so you can pick up the 4s as well.

 

Probably the best part of it is that it operates independently, meaning it does not need tank commander order support.