Manchurius Vulcan.... the Imperial Riptide?

[L30n1d4s]

I appears there are several competitive Tau lists these days being built around multiple Riptide gunlines (and how effective these appear to be, given the high volume of S6 AP-1/2 D2 firepower they can put out).

 

This made me start thinking about Astra Militarum and how they might be able to do something similar, but using the Manchurius Vulcan tank (a FW super-heavy, if you are not familiar with it).

 

Basically, a Manchurius Vulcan is a T8, 22W, 3+ save Super-Heavy that (like Baneblade variants) can fall back and still shoot/charge and comes in at a bit above 350 points stock. More importantly, it has the Vulcan Mega-Bolter, with the following stats:

 

 

R60" Heavy 15 S6 AP-2 D2 (if the Manchurius Vulcan does not Move in the Movement phase, then becomes Heavy 30).

 

 

 

Put another way, with Nova Charge on and Advanced Targeting System, a single Riptide puts out 18 x S6 AP-2 D2 shots a turn... this means that a stationary Manchurius Vulcan puts out the firepower of almost two Nova Charged Riptides!

 

While more expensive than a Riptide on a model for model cost, two Manchurius Vulcans put out 60 x S6 AP-2 D2 shots compared to 48 x S6 AP-2 D2 shots from three Riptides and are significantly cheaper in total points.

 

In terms of relative survivability, while the Riptides have a 2+/5++ save compared to the 3+ of the Manchurius Vulcan, the Imperial Super-Heavies are T8 (vs the Tau Battle Suits' T7) and two Manchurius Vulcans have a total of 44 wounds, as compared to the 42 wounds of three Riptides.

 

Taking all of that into consideration, what can a pair of Manchurius Vulcans be used against? Well, using the Cadian doctrine, the Cadian "Overlapping Fields of Fire" stratagem, and the "Old Grudges" WL trait nearby, in a single shooting phase two Machurius Vulcans put out 60 x S6 AP-2 D2 shots, get an average of 46-47 hits, 23-24 wounds, 11-12 Unsaved Wounds, and 23-24 Wounds inflicted on an Imperial Knight with Ion Shields Stratagem activated... basically a dead Knight (or almost dead, if a Castellan/Valiant) in one volley.

 

Against hordes like Orks the two Manchurius Vulcans put out 60 x S6 AP-2 D2 Mega-Bolter shots and 30 x S4 AP0 D1 Heavy Stubber shots, which can easily kill one two 30 Ork Boy Hordes a turn, not counting the rest of the firepower in your army.

 

Finally, against "heavy," multi-wound infantry/bikes like Primaris, Tau Battlesuits, Grotesques, Custodes Bikers, Harlequin Skyweavers, Necron Wraiths, etc., the high volume of shooting and innate D2 of the Mega-Bolters means you can easily rack up lots of wounds and take out these tough units.

 

Bottom line, a pair of Manchurius Vulcans are difficult to deal with and, conversely, can very effectively damage with a whole range of opponents themselves.

 

 

So, how might an AM player put them into a list? Below is a 2000 point army I have sketched out based around a pair of these Lord of Wars:

 

 

---CADIAN Supreme Command Detachment---

*Manchurius Vulcan with three Heavy Stubbers, Twin Heavy Stubber, Vulcan Mega-Bolter

 

*Tempestor Prime with HS Laspistol/CCW (x3)

 

 

---CADIAN Supreme Command Detachment---

*Manchurius Vulcan with three Heavy Stubbers, Twin Heavy Stubber, Vulcan Mega-Bolter

 

*Company Commander with Laspistol/CCW (x3)

 

 

---CADIAN Brigade---

*Tank Commander with Plasma Executioner, 2 Plasma Cannons, HB (x3)

 

*10 man Infantry Squad (x3)

*5 man Militarum Tempestus Squad with HS Lasguns (x3)

 

*Commissar with BP (x3)

 

*Scout Sentinel with Multilaser (x3)

 

*Heavy Weapons Squad with three Mortars (x3)

 

 

 

This list clocks in at just under 2000 points and gives you 17 CPs to play with, which will be very important for using all the Stratagems. The Manchurius Vulcans and Tank Commanders provide the firebase, the Sentinels, MT squads, and Tempestor Primes provide the mobile objective grabbers, and the Company Commanders, Commissars, Mortar Heavy Weapons Squads, and Infantry Squads provide the screening element to protect all the tanks from charging units.

[The Black Guard]

Sounds like a solid list to me - great combination of firepower and mobility.

[Honda]

<Forgeworld data analytics team notes an unanticipated spike in Macharius Vulcan sales and wonders what Bolter and Chainsword is doing this time>

[MrZakalwe]

I think the parts of the puzzle you are missing are the Riptide's invulnerable save (especially as one of them will have it novacharged each turn), and drones- the riptides will be much, much harder to kill than the Macharius.

 

I want to like the macharius but like the baneblade and the repulsor, the lack of an invulnerable save makes it very easy to kill.

[bigmic66]

Yeah very true. The savior protocols on drones with the 2+ armour of riptides and fly make it harder to drop than the vulcans

[noigrim]

Riptide is 2+ 3++ so get a knight with bulqark and sainted iron instead, probably cheaper in pts too

 

Edit: and cash