Horus Heresy Review: Legion Malcador Assault Tank

The final entry in the main Heresy-era army list (don't worry: I haven't forgotten about the legion specific units or Mechanicum -- they're going to be written in the coming weeks and months) is the Malcador.

The thing that sets the Malcador apart from other super-heavy Lords of War entries in the army list is that it is a fast vehicle. This has obvious application for armies that deploy rapidly, or from reserve. The key here is to figure out what role you want for the Malcador to play. Is it a dakka style tank focussed on anti-infantry duty or is it a bit more anti-tank? Clearly this will depend upon how the rest of the army is constructed. But I will point out that as a super-heavy, the tank can fire its weapons independently and at different targets every turn, so a combination of weapons and purposes can be achieved here as well.  With that in mind, here are 3 builds: one anti-tank, one anti-infantry, and one somewhere in-between.

Legion Malcador Assault Tank with standard battle cannon, hull-mounted auto cannon, Autocannons on sponsons, armoured ceramite, pintle-mounted heavy flamer and a space marine legion crew (370 points)
A large range of weaponry, mostly focusing on dakka and rate of fire. This is the anti-infantry tank. The pintle-mounted heavy flamer is for anti-charging duty in the main part, but I guess a Salamanders tank could use heavy flamer sponsons as well.

Legion Malcador Assault Tank, with twin-linked lascannons, demolisher cannon, lascannon sponsons, armoured ceramite, hunter-killer missile, pintle-mounted combi-melta, space marine legion crew (410 points)
This one is distinctly more anti-tank, sporting more high strength weapons and a lower rate of fire power than the one above.

Legion Malcador Assault Tank, Battle Cannon, Demolisher Cannon, Heavy Bolter sponsons, armoured ceramite, hunter-killer missile, pintle-mounted heavy stubber, command tank, space marine legion crew (410 points)
Well, this one is a mixed bag, leaving only the flamers at home. Not sure what role this has, but is an illustration of how one can build a menagerie of weaponry on a tank.

Legion Malcador Assault Tank, Battle Cannon, Demolisher Cannon, Heavy Flamer Sponsons, pintle-mounted heavy flamer (350 points)
A lesser tank and cheaper one in the same vein as the one above. But this time, packing in the heavy flamers to make it more suitable for Salamander type legions out there.