The Astraeus is pretty darn good now.

[Ishagu]

A 30 wound, toughness 8 Flying Tank with a 2+ save and Two Void shields that grant a 5++.

 

The void shields behave similar to Drones, for those who don't know. Each has 3 wounds, and must be destroyed before the tank takes damage. If you deal more than 3 damage to a shield the excess is lost, so they can absorb some powerful hits before the tank starts to lose wounds. Any void shield that isn't dispatched recovers to full health.

 

The guns have been updated in the new book. Plasmas might be the way to go, with 2D6 Str 8 AP-4 D3 shots when over-charged, and that's on top of the 12 Str 8, D3 shots from the main cannon, and a twin Las Cannon/Heavy Bolter. This tank could be dealing in excess of 50 wounds of damage a turn, but I think it's the durability that's the most impressive aspect.

 

A Techmarine and Librarian can add to the defensive and offensive output on top - this is probably the single best unit to receive a +1 to hit from a Techmarine. The tank comes in at 675 points and I think it's now the best of the large LoW style Astartes tanks - more impressive rules than the Fellblade or Falchion for a relatively small increase in points.

 

The cost to rules might finally be where they should be in terms of return, and it still allows a decent size force alongside the tank for support in a 2k game. Also there are obvious combos such as adding the Iron Stone into the mix.

Edited November 5, 2020 by Ishagu

[Nusquam]

I'm cautiously optimistic about it in normal eternal war matched play, not grand tournament. It's at the level I wish all the marine LoWs were. Park the nose over a close objective and let it rip.

 

In GT giving up Titan Hunter is a hard sell though. You'll need to optimize your objective play; max out yours and deny at least one from your opponent to offset Titan Hunter. Which is what I suspect Harlies Soaring Spite list does since it gives up Bring it Down almost twice over.

[quasistellar]

That point cost might just be the tipping point. Time to start washing that resin! Edited November 9, 2020 by quasistellar

[Mandragola]

It's pretty cool, isn't it. That main gun is a real "anti-anything" weapon that overkills most targets, and it has quite a lot of other weapons. I don't own one of these and I don't really like the model to spend >£200 on one, but I'd be quite happy if I did.

 

It does almost certainly want to be Iron Hands with the Iron Stone and Feirros next to it. It wouldn't be all that great for my Crimson Fists but it wouldn't be terrible. The 2+ save means a stealthy one would be pretty tough too.

 

I do own a Spartan, Falchion and Typhon, from my 7th Legion army. They all look kind of useable. 390 for the Typhon isn't really all that many points, though it's fragile for that price.

[Nusquam]

You would have to bring 3 Lords of War and spend 6CP(Or more from Martial Legacy) to give it chapter tactics. On its own it seems good. Makes me wish "formats" for 40k existed. Wish Spearhead from last year took off.

[Mandragola]

You would have to bring 3 Lords of War and spend 6CP(Or more from Martial Legacy) to give it chapter tactics. On its own it seems good. Makes me wish "formats" for 40k existed. Wish Spearhead from last year took off.

Yeah this is clearly a problem for all Lords of War. Without CTs they all become a bit vanilla. It's a pretty subtle change in 9th because we used to get this stuff I think.