SA armoured assests

[Black Cohort]

So we have topics on the Astartes armour but not on the Solar Auxillia armour and I think they too merit discussion.

 

Right now they have 3 armoured assets:

 

Leman Russ Battle Tank Squadrons

-either battlecannon or Vanquisher battlecannon

-Hull lascannon or heavy bolter

 

While there are arguments for both a lascannon or a heavy bolter hull mount, I don't see why you would ever take a battlecannon over the Vanquisher.  The extra 7" of range and armourbane more than make up for the fact that you lose the AP (which for a regular battle cannon is only -1) vs infantry.  I think this is one of the more obvious situations where the attempt to have most options in LI be free changes fails.  Either the Vanquisher should cost more or the regular battlecannon needs something, increased accuracy or shred probably.

 

Malcador Battle Tank Squadrons

-Hull mount

-battlecannon, Vanquisher or dual lascannon turret

-sponsons

 

Autocannons seem like the worst option for either hull mount or sponsons, for the hull mount I think you are best with the demo cannon it should give anyone hoping to get close enough for a close assault the next turn pause.  Sponsons I think you are best with the heavy bolters for point defense, but there is certainly an argument for lascannons for more dedicated tank hunting.  You may want a mix of both types in a ssquadron.  For the turret I think the best option is still the Vanquisher, but the two shots from the dual lascannon turret make it a decent option for hunting lighter armour, the regular battlecannon is still the worst option.

 

Super-heavy heavy armour Squadrons

- bunch of fixed weapons

-Baneblade or Hellhammer cannon

- heavy bolter, heavy flamer or autocannon sponsons

 

the fixed weapons already give you a good mix of secondary weapons and I think you are best to take the heavy flamer sponsons to deal with attempts to close assault you, though the autocannon sponsons actually have point defense so they are a useful consideration for once and if you want a more long ranged sponson I would take them over the heavy bolters.  For main guns I don't think the special rules the hellhammer has outweighs the nearly double range of the Baneblade cannon.

 

 

 

[Captain Idaho]

Yeah massed Leman Russ tanks will be fearsome to face. Vanquisher Cannons and lascannons, hiding as far as possible, will do some damage and be tough to oppose.

 

The battle cannon is good of course, but the extra range alone of the vanquisher cannon is potentially uncontestable for the Leman Russ.

[Deus_Ex_Machina]

As a veteran player of Epic from the 90s I learned the following:

 

"Let the opposition starve to death on the long arm."

 

This means equipping Leman Russes and Malcadors with vanquisher cannons and lascannons to have a longer range on your weapons. Additional Baneblades come by default with demolisher cannons so the Malcadors don´t need them and can therefore double down on yet more lascannons. 

[Haranin]

You need 6 demolishers to drop a building. Six baneblades would waste the majority of their fire for 600 points.... where as six malcadors is 200 points less....

 

I think if you gave the battle  cannon one more shot, or accurate, it would change the math enough to be interesting.

 

In a 5 turn game, I don't think you have enough time to snipe at range and then take objectives. If you can, I wonder if your board isn't dense enough.

 

[SkimaskMohawk]

The Demolisher is a bit of a trap when you're trying to sit back and shoot with the vanquisher and sponson las. It also makes you waste all those shots when it is time to drop the building.

 

The baneblade is kinda the reverse; most of its guns are >16" and you're stuck with a couple of point defence no matter what. You really might as well swap the baneblade cannon out for the hellhammer and go all in as a close range brawler. 

[Deus_Ex_Machina]

3 hours ago, Haranin said:

You need 6 demolishers to drop a building. Six baneblades would waste the majority of their fire for 600 points.... where as six malcadors is 200 points less....

 

I think if you gave the battle  cannon one more shot, or accurate, it would change the math enough to be interesting.

 

In a 5 turn game, I don't think you have enough time to snipe at range and then take objectives. If you can, I wonder if your board isn't dense enough.

 

My board will be less dense as I won´t have access to city structures. So the battles will take place in the wastelands of New Mars with mainly rocks, hills and craters. This means there is less appeal to cram in weapons with the demolisher traits. And even if I build bunkers from cardboard later on Titans are also perfect for blowing up such hard targets so the Baneblades are not the only models in my SA collecton for these wrecking jobs.