Unit of the Week: Damocles Command Tank

[Jolemai]

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

Following the release of the 9^th edition Supplement, 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:

Damocles Command Tank

What are you thoughts here folks? How best would you use your Damocles?

• To compliment a list, or to build a list around? Will the beta rules affect your list(s)?
• Will you be running multiples?
• How are you buffing this unit? Will it babysit anything to make use of Command Uplink (Aura)?
• What Wargear Options do you prefer and how much does it depend on the above choices?
• Stratagem synergy or note?

Over to you

Edited January 2, 2022 by Jolemai

[Jolemai]

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

[BloodyB]

This tank feels very underappreciated to me. While your Smash captain is away doing his best to ruin whatever he has decided needs ruining, he can still buff any unit near this thing, and it farms command points like it joined a Minecraft server, rather than a 40k game. Keep it out of sight of enemy heavy weapons and near a group of Devastator or Hellblaster squads and laugh as your captain and lieutenants still buff them even thouh they are busy on the opposite corner of the board.

 

They aren't cheap to field, but they aren't prohibitively expensive either, and if nothing else, your opponent is going to focus on it rather than something more immediately dangerous. In a way, you are paying extra points for an additional captain with Master of the Codex WT, at the cost of having limited direct power, but a stormbolter and maybe a hunter killer missile is just fine by my standard.

 

I think these work best in big games where Imperial soup is the meal of the day. The ability to get an extra CP, while still having something like Knights and Baneblades to soak up enemy for is a big deal, especially if your or your friend brought some Guard to keep bothersome deepstrikers away from this relatively delicate tank.

 

I wish this tank had a rule to make embarking your character inside worthwhile, maybe instead of an additional 6" bubble forming, maybe pick a unit elsewhere on the board instead? At least, it should work for the Chapter Master ability. The idea of my far-flung Chapter Master directing a Devastator Squad's fire mere moments before hitting melee is just too thematic to not happen.

 

Other than those gripes, I am so happy with this unit that I am spending all my Christmas cash on one of these cool tanks!

[Majkhel]

I agree it's for bigger games as it's aura gets better when we have both Captain and Lieutenant present. That means 3 HQ choices already taken.
Transport capacity of 1firstborn infantry character is strange. Perhaps if we somehow want to protect a single character from some particular threat for one turn?

[Tokugawa]

I agree it's for bigger games as it's aura gets better when we have both Captain and Lieutenant present. That means 3 HQ choices already taken.

Transport capacity of 1firstborn infantry character is strange. Perhaps if we somehow want to protect a single character from some particular threat for one turn?

Pro…tect? If this rhino is destroyed and you roll a 1 on disembark…the passenger character would be removed immediately. No way to save it.

[Majkhel]

I totally agree.
The only reason to do such a thing (hide inside a Rhino to protect) would be a 'last resort' type of move to avoid a charge or shooting (sniper fire only I guess) or psychic threat that would be otherwise almost certain to kill such a character (say: Mephiston - legends). Having a choice between certain death and possible death is theoretically better than no choice at all. But I put the question mark at the end exactly because I think this very situational at best and frankly I would not expect to ever actually use it.

[Jolemai]

I've been running one of these in support of my bikes lately (1k). I've had a Lieutenant on the field and a Dreadnought popping Wisdom of the Ancients (Rites of Battle) to give my Bikes both buffs.

 

It's nothing gamebreaking, but a neat little trick. It hasn't mined a single CP though *sadface*