Malcador Annihilator and New FAQs

[Trickstick]

So I don't know if I'm the only one to have missed this until now, but the latest FW FAQ changed the Malcador's grinding advance rule again. The annihilator and defender variants, plus the thunderer, were given the full grinding advance rule, allowing them to double tap with demolishers and twin-lascannons. The annihilator can, by RAW, double tap both.

 

Does this make a malcador annihilator a decent pick now? For 305 points you can get 6 lascannon shots and 2d6 demolisher shots, on an 18 wound platform. I know that 18 wounds changes some terrain interactions, does that make the vehicle useless?

 

I just hadn't seen this change mentioned and was wondering if anyone else had missed it.

 

Edit: 155 point thunderers with double tap is also really interesting, now that I think about it.

Edited August 4, 2020 by Trickstick

[librisrouge]

The malcador chassis is still very expensive for what it brings. However, it brings it now. I don't want to call something like it a glass cannon but I'd almost be more tempted by the two russ you could almost take for the same points. Still, it is definitely something to consider and, if I were made of money, I'd probably get a few.

[zero88]

Well that was one of the most overdue updates for Guard in a while. I would say they could work now. Regular Russ's will still be more efficient, but they will be viable at least. One good thing About them will be they make better targets for Psychic Barrier and Nightshroud, that's something to consider

[plaguedroneofblight]

Surely this must be unintentional. They've just missed the fact that their demolisher cannons are not turret mounted, and included the demolisher cannon in the list because the leman russ entry does. Main reason I believe this is these two Malcadors don't really cost any more than the main battle tank version that doesn't get to double tap even it's battle cannon, nor does it have a demolisher cannon. Seems like another intern job to me, honestly..

[Captain Caine 24th]

It would make sense to give malcadors additional benefits, strats, or abilities over russes. Though the errata writing seems clear, I don't know if it'll be set in stone in the next codex. It feels odd to call demolishers turret mounted, then say grinding advance applies to turret mounts. It'd be less questionable if malcadors just got grinding advance on all guns or something. So, I agree the new rule applies to demolishers, and it makes malcadors better. I wouldn't rush to buy them (though I do really like the model). The supposed forgeworld update to coincide with 8th edition has gone totally silent. I don't know when it's coming. Modern rules, and ongoing updates to rules as with codexes, could really help malcadors.

 

As to the state of the game, I'd worry about these new space marine eradicator squads and ATVs. Apparently cheap and improved melta is on the way. The cap on negative hit modifiers is good for it. Increased terrain might limit firing lanes for it. It may survive longer as a lot of 'deathstar' super unit combinations (like devastator centurions)  are now points inefficient or are cost prohibitive. Still if something really scary is on the table the malcador won't last long. It's hard to build a list with super-heavies now, and still get the doctrines. If you manage it, maybe take vostroyan for the +1 to hit strat, or cadian for the combined arms strat and CREED to make back some CP lost in taking a super-heavy.  I kind of like the idea of the malcador moving with infantry as a really forceful way of saying, "do not come near my objective." 

[Santaclauswitz]

Captain Caine the Malcador is a heavy option. It's the Macharius that's a super heavy.

[zero88]

Edit: 155 point thunderers with double tap is also really interesting, now that I think about it.

They are super cool now, once you take away the price of a LRD's hull weapon you're looking at only 5 points between the two, the trade-off is the hull and sponson weapons of the Russ, or an extra wound on the Thunderer. Add in Gunnery Experts and the extended range trait (can't remember the name) and that could be the basis for a sweet siege regiment