Unit of the Week: Relic Typhon Heavy Siege Tank

[Jolemai]

Welcome to part five of the Blood Angels Unit of the Week Series!

Following the release of the 8^th edition Codex, there is no better time to discuss all the units we have access to. Each week a different unit will appear, with the idea being that we discuss how best to use that model on the battlefield. Where part one will focus on the unique BA units and part two will focus on BA units that are new to this edition of the Codex, part three will discuss how to get the best use the generic units from the past that are still with us (and that many of us have in our armies still), and part four will discuss the Legends units that we still own and love. Finally, part five will be dedicated to the reinforcements from Forge World.

Note, this isn't to lament any nerfs, etc, from previous editions; the rules are as they are so try to unlock its potential for those who wish to use them all the same. Similarly, this thread is only for using the option being discussed; it matters not if you feel something is a better choice as such comments aren't constructive to the topic and shall be removed.

Without further ado, here's this week's entry:

Relic Typhon Heavy Siege Tank

What are you thoughts here folks? How best would you use a Typhon (found in Imperial Armour - Index: Forces of the Adeptus Astertes)?

• To compliment a list, or to build a list around? Will the beta rules affect your list(s)?
• Will you be running multiple units?
• What weapon options are you taking?
• Are you buffing this unit? If so, how?
• Stratagems of note?
• Over to you.

[Jolemai]

Should you want your model on display here (or on another thread from the series), then submit a photo here please.

[Indefragable]

My only experience with these is being on the receiving end. 

 

In 7th ed a mainstay at my club played Iron Warriors and had a Typhon as the centerpiece of his mech army. They were pretty brutal with those giant apocalyptic pie plates that ignored cover. Huge swathes of the board would just disappear. 

 

I have never seen one in 8th, but  its main weapon profile (24" Heavy 2D6 S10 AP-5 D:3, if it does not move range increased to 48") is pretty useful all-around. S10 hurts anything outside of Titans, AP-5 is overkill (but this is 40k), and anything that hits like a thunder-hammer is applicable to non-horde units. Even then, 2D6 shots averages 7 shots so while overmatch against Boyz and Gaunts, in a pinch you can still take out 1/3-1/4 of a horde unit.  

 

It has 34" threat range, moving 10" then shooting 24" which is not bad, especially with POTMS. However, I would probably park it in the center and milk the 48" range as much as possible. 

 

I see it as more of an Anvil unit that anchors the battle lines in place while our traditionally zippy units move up the sides to put fingers in eyes. 

[Majkhel]

That's a fragile beast - only 6 wounds needed to drop it down to a middle tier on the damage chart  Being that, I'd say it needs to be mobile (start in cover, unless certain we're going first) and take targets of opportunity before it closes on it's chosen prey. A Techmarine would be great to help it stay on it's toes.

 

The main weapon profile seems to have potential to be a LoW-killer, but reliability is an issue.

Secondary armament is just that - secondary to the prey we have chosen for the main gun.

 

 

 

Now, how about a little brainstorming about the name for the canon? "Big E." perhaps? 

[Jolemai]

Never really thought of it as being fragile as it's T9, 2+ after all. Saying that though, Bjorn did get into combat with my Cerberus (same statline) and did significant damage so maybe...?

[Majkhel]

Toughness 9 and 2+ save are great, but I'm thinking of it being targeted T1 by a proper AT guns with tons of AP and multiple damage a piece. in this regard it may be enough to push just 1-2 wounds through to decrease Typhon's performance.

[Indefragable]

Never really thought of it as being fragile as it's T9, 2+ after all. Saying that though, Bjorn did get into combat with my Cerberus (same statline) and did significant damage so maybe...?

 

That's the weirdness of 8th Edition: everything is fragile unless it has a ridiculous FNP, means of regaining lost wounds, and/or at least a 4++. There's just so much heavy firepower and means of focusing things down that unless you have a Reaver Titan, I don't know if there's a single unit that is guaranteed to survive a single turn against a good opponent who is determined (and has the right tools). 

[Xenith]

Heh, did we make it through all the units in time for 9th? Crazy to think that there's like over 200 units available to BA.

 

I love the typhon. unsure if I'd ever see it in games, but I want one for a heresy siege themed force. 

 

As with anything in 8th, you need to shield it. Maybe in 9th i can stay off-board. Can it shoot into combat still as a super heacy, or at least move out of combat and shoot?

 

I can only see it getting stronger in 9th with the change to blast and rumoured max wounds a gargantuan thing can lose each turn, though I assume it'll be pointed accordingly. 

[BloodyB]

Met one of these beasties just after 8th dropped, Emperor-bereft daemon-engine of the Night Lords that flattened 8 of my Sanguinary Guard and dropped 2 Land Speeders in turn 1. My Jump Pack army was lacking the firepower to hurt it quickly. Covered by some Havocs, a Chaos Lord, a cultist mob and a Helbrute, that thing was tough to shift.

 

The moral of the story is: if you've got one, cover it with some good anti-infantry fire power and a counter-assault force. If the other side plops one down, stab it. Stab it in it's face and do it fast. That beast can hurt you bad.