Dark Angels Review: Razorback

The second dedicated transport (following on from the rhino) is the razorback.

This guy swaps out some transport capacity for extra weaponry.  And therein is the choice of how to build this tank.  There are plenty of options: twin linked heavy bolters, heavy flamers, assault cannons, lascannons, or a las cannon and twin linked plasma guns.

Ultimately, this choice comes down to play-style and what the commander feels the battlefield role should be for the razorback in question.  If you know in advance you're facing tyranid hordes, then the twin linked heavy flamers or twin linked heavy bolters might be nice.  The twin-linked assault cannons (and the rest) are where it starts to cost you to upgrade.  The assault cannons are great for laying down a wealth of suppressing fire whilst possibly sitting on top of an objective.  The lascannons are there to take down heavy armour reliably and occasionally fliers.  The interesting option is to take the twin linked plasma guns and the lascannon.  This gives ultimate tactical flexibility, but the weapons are not well matched (in terms of range), but the plasma could be fluffy.

For the set-up, I'd be tempted to take an extra storm bolter from the armoury to improve the chances that the primary weapon survives.  Extra armour might be nice as well if the the razorback is also acting as an important transport.  I'd be thinking about several razorbacks if I were taking them (i.e. not one on its own) to give target saturation.

Here's a pair potential builds ... there are lots of variations beyond these of course:

Razorback with twin linked assault cannons, storm bolter (80 points)
Pricey for an AV=11 vehicle, to be sure.  But a couple of these can provide the required target saturation and opposing firepower to take on many and varied opponents, including some light tanks.

Razorback with twin linked heavy flamers, extra armour, hunter killer missile (75 points)
Fire off the missile on turn 1 at a large tyranid or ork target.  Charge in to the hordes with the heavy flamers.  Disgorge the (shooty?  assaulty?) occupants and finish them (or provide a road bump!).