Tanks/Transport

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

Hey all, I just got back into the hobby. I really don't know how to play but a few guys at one of the local shops said they would teach me when I got an army together to play against them. Just want to be really ready for them when I do get to play with them. So far I have a Corvus Blackstar, 2 start collecting DW (comes out to 20 marines + 2 watch captains + 2 Dreads) and the Kill Team Cassius (comes with 5 marines + 2 jump packs + 1 termy + 1 biker + 1 Libby +1 Chaplain), I've also got Eisenhorn and a Watch Master, and a chaplain in terminator armor cause I thought it looked cool. Really looking for what tanks and or transport I should use with this, will be just casual play until I get better at it and really learn it. Really into the Eisenhorn/Ordos Xenos books so I'd really like to keep him in my army. Thanks in advance!

[Duke Danse Macabre]

We are somewhat transport starved next to other armies, twin Lascannon Razorbacks and fw termite drills are your best bet, Corvus doesn't often see play due to not being able to hit the side of a barn door and lr are point sinks.

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

The response I got from a DW Facebook group was a little more optimistic about the Blackstar, and another guy said he puts his Inq in a LR Redeemer. But the Termite Drills are pretty expensive for me to get one right now with out really knowing how to play. Guess I could wait til around Thanksgiving when I head back down to my house, I've got a Land Rander of some kind and a old old school Rhino (In Ultramarine colors but I could just paint over them) til I'm really sure what I want to get.

[Mobius0288]

Don't forget to consider both drop pods and deep striking via command points! Drop pods come in turn 1 (if you want), which could synergize with the beacon Angelis... Kind of like transporting without a transport! And the command point thing is spending up to 3 points to set up to 3 units in reserves (turn 2 at the earliest).

 

I find myself not using a lot of transports personally, and I've done fine. The drop pods and Blackstar would be the funnest IMO. Just remember your capacity and model limitations.

[Black Knight]

Being optimistic doesn't change the fact that the Blackstar is not our best way to transport, in fact it is probably the worse but it does offer DW some heavy weaponry which we do lack. On the other side as others have mentioned it can't hit the broadside of a barn compared to our cheaper and better hitting dreadnoughts, which also get our version of Chapter tactics where the flyer does not.

 

Also DW doesn't use transports as much at all since we have our extremely powerful teleport ability which you should be using. Why spend two turns trying to keep a transport alive as it goes up the board when you can teleport that squad of men to ANYWHERE on the board on turn two. Maybe the enemy has redeployed and your transport is out in the middle of nowhere.

 

Our tanks come down to Landraiders, Repulsors, Razorbacks.

 

Landraiders: I love them, they are beefy, deadly AND can be completely neutered on the first turn because they do not have fly. A single Grot in base contact with the Landraider will turn it into a paperweight and I greatly doubt the Landraider will kill the Grot in CC :D

 

Repulsors: New, were overpriced but are better now and the new main tank variant is definitely the way to go if you want a "tank". They have fly so can disengage from CC and shoot. If you decided on taking one of these you need at least two or it will be a magnet first turn and simply die. Also remember that you do not get our special rules for re-rolling hits on it so you will need a Watchmaster to babysit.

 

Razorbacks: Were all the rage at the beginning of 8th as they were cheap and let us use Las-cannons, unfortunately if you move you are hitting on 4s so people started taking Dreadnoughts instead.

 

Dreadnoughts: Not a tank but so much better than all of the above if you need tank busting weapons. Equip twin Las-cannons and a missile launcher and call it a day. Also comes in a lovely Venerable variant which is a 2+ hit and vastly superior to all the above. Did I mention they get re-roll to wound on your chosen battlefield roll?

 

I wouldn't bother with the drill unless you truly decide to stick with DW or maybe you also collect Adeptus Mechanicus. It is resin, pricey and is a bit of a commitment(It is a special purchase you should probably get to know, maybe take it out to dinner before you decide to put it next to your pillow at night).

 

 

In summary there has never been any army where "Dudes before Tools" has been so important. You want more bodies on the field than heavily kitting out single teams or models for that matter. For example if you want four frag cannons, beginners usually put them all in the same 5-10 man squad and then cry when that squad is deleted in the first salvo. Spread the frags over two teams really will help out in redundancy and not create a team that becomes a death magnet.

 

This doesn't mean you cannot take our lovely tools but spread them out so that no loss of a squad is game over. Also try to side towards shooting, one of our main rules buffs our shooting so even if you want a CC squad, always fit them out with some ranged too, they will want to shoot as they close the gap.

 

At 2000 I always try to make two battalions, so at least six squads of vets/intercessors. This is just a good basis to start with and then you can fill up the rest of your points with what ever cool tools you want.

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

Sounds good, thanks for the explanation. I have a SW army at my house (at my grandparents house as a caregiver, I think it's 1500 or 2k been so long I can't remember), they're from like the early 2000's. That would be the other army I would play instead when I do finally get them painted, it's about half done. Waiting til I get them then I'll grab the newest codex. Heading down there around Thanksgiving to get some of that stuff. I don't have any primaris marines, maybe I'll get those later down the road too.