Unit of the Week CSM 10th edition Unit of the week: Chaos Predator Annihilator

[Cpt.Danjou]

 

CSM 10th edition Chaos Predator Annihilator

 

This is a topic about Chaos Predator Annihilator in the 10th edition.

 

• Do you use them?
• How are you using them?
• Do you think they perform well?
• How do you equip them?
• Is there a detachment that they are extra crucial?

 

Other Unit of the Week for Chaos Space Marines can be found in the link below.

 

Chaos Space Marine Unit of the Week Links

[Karhedron]

I really like the humble Predator Annihilator and nearly always take lascannon sponsons. For 140 points, it brings 3 decent anti-shots to the party on a reasonably durable and mobile platform. The good thing is that it does not really need a particular detachment to do work. Having said that, Mark of Nurgle on a Pactbound Zealot Predator is pretty nice for triggering Sustained Hits on a 5+.

[Indy Techwisp]

Hey, this is one I can actually talk about using!

 

Like Karhedron, I pretty much always take the Lascannon Sponsons which is very useful for me vs the main opposing "armour" I end up facing in games, that being Paragon Warsuits and Morgan Vahl or a Farsight led Sunforge squad.

 

I do find the durability of the Annihilator to be a little lower than I'd personally like, but then again I play TSons so I'm spoilt by everything else in the army having Invuln saves (except the other CSM vehicles).

Putting that aside, it is as durable as you'd expect a Tank that's based on an APC Chassis to be.

 

Regarding Pintle Mounts and Havoc Launchers tho.

Firstly, can CSM also take both at the same time or is that just TSons index weirdness?

The pintle options of Combi-Bolter or Combi-Weapon are somewhat situational, although I can see the Combi-Bolter being the better pick in general. Against a predominantly Infantry army the Combi-Weapon pick is decent, but unless you're concerned about APCs you'd probably be better off taking a Destructor over an Annihilator in that match up anyway.

 

The Havoc Launcher tho seems to really only be effective vs GEQ units and even then its completely random how many shots you get off (love it when you get an amazing 3 shots into a 10 man unit) but it is free in 10th and its always good have some sort of answer to Infantry swarming your decidedly non-Infantry focused Tank, so I always take one.

 

Finally, I will note that I've lost quite a few Annihilators to blowing up an APC and having a unit that was within it survive the bailout, set up somewhere I can't shoot them and then destroy the tank from full health with Meltas, sometimes even managing that on Overwatch.

So I'd suggest being mindful of what a Transport vehicle is transporting when trying to destroy them.

[Tallarn Commander]

In almost every game with the new codex my Predator Annihilator has been my best or second best unit. It is also equipped with lascannon sponsons.

 

Yes, CSM tanks can take both a pintle weapon and a Havoc Launcher.

[Gree]

The Annhilator tends to be overshone by the Destructor, but I always bring one.

 

I've said this many times before, but Pactbound runs them well. Pactbound boosts almost everything in the CSM codex. Nurgle and Undivided are good. I like to run a marked Predator with a Warpsmith. 1+ to hit synergizes very well with the Undivided re-rolls.

 

I have not run them in Soulforged Warpack, but there seems to be something interesting stuff with Daemonic Possession to make it a Daemon vehicle.