Horus Heresy 3e Review: Kratos Assault Tank

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are rather good. 

Background.

Despite the popular opinion that the Kratos was only introduced in second edition, the reality is that it has been mentioned in the lore for a lot longer. It is a line breaker tank of ancient Terran origin. Slow moving, but highly effective, the legions swerved away from it as they favoured faster deployments, but it never lost its edge and was rapidly pressed back into large scale service thanks to the Heresy. 

Strengths. 

With AV=14 all around and 10 hull points, this is already a tank to be reckoned with alongside the more classic land raiders. There's a choice of 3 main weapon variants. 

The Kratos battlecannon can fire HE shells to give S=8 and a large pie plate with stun, or AP shells with AP=2 and armourbane. One shot either way, but one is a mechanicum killer, the other takes out tanks. Flashburn shells is an upgrade for a small cost to give armour bane at S=9 and AP2 with 3 damage (all types of shots have D on ordnance making them quite strong). Nothing quite like 4 damage at S=9, so this is strongly rated, even with overload. 

The Volkite Cardanelle is interesting for its vast range 12 shots at S=7 and 2 damage even if the AP is poor. Deflagrate and suppressive only add to this. A real infantry stopper (including terminators). 

The Melta Blast Gun supplies 2 shots at S=9 with melta at a reasonable range of 24. AP is 2 and damage is a straight up 4 with heavy on the RS. This is a real impressive tank killer. 

Sponsons come recommended with lascannons and volkite culverins. The front mounted heavy bolt guns can also be swapped out, but the points costs stack up fast in doing so. Dozer blade if you need to move closer and hunter killer missile to taste. 

Weaknesses. 

Slow moving.

Builds.

Kratos with Battle Cannon, Flash Burn Shells, Mounted Autocannons (300 points). 

Plenty of dakka! Dozer Blade to taste. 

Kratos with Volkite Cardanelle, Volkite Culverin Sponsons, Mounted Volkite Calivers (295 points).

You should know the rule about volkite by now: go big!!

Dozer blade to taste. 

Kratos with Melta Blast Gun, Las Cannon Sponsons, Mounted Las Cannons (355 points).    

When you really, really need to kill some armour and you don't have other choices, and don't mind all your eggs in one giant proverbial basket that acts as an incoming firepower magnet. Very expensive, and possibly should have been a Lords of War (source: me). 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Sicaran Venator

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good. 

Background.

Lessons learned during the Great Crusade accelerated the idea of needing BIG GUNS at FAST SPEEDS against some xenos breeds. Thus was born the Venator. For your needs when predators and vindicators no longer cut it. 

Strengths. 

The Venator retains the key headline from the core Sicaran. These include 6 hull points, an impressive movement rate of 14, coupled with AP=13 on the front and 12 elsewhere. 

The neutron beam laser is the main attraction of this tank though. Two shots at S=10 with AP=2 and 2 damage, plus ordnance on D. It also has armour bane and shock which add up to a tank killer unit. 

I would be seriously tempted with the las cannon sponsons to drive home the case for a tank killing tank. The pintle isn't worth it, and I don't think the searchlights are either. The hunter killer missile might be okay, so I will decide to leave that to taste. 

Weaknesses. 

As with the base Sicaran, the Venator variant is also not quite as good as previous editions. You will need to think about positioning here. 

Builds.

Sicaran Venator with Neutron Beam Laser and Las Cannon Sponsons (190 points).

Lots of lasers to kill tanks with. The classic tank sniping tank.

 

Warhammer World: Choose Your Colours [For Heresy]

A little addition that I spotted on my recent rounds of Warhammer World: all of the legions in one display with a variety of miniatures, specialist legion terminators, upgrade parts, and nice paint jobs. 

I rather liked this cabinet as a reference material. Sure: there were other displays focussed on every single legion which I might also post at a future point, but this one just stood out as a singular piece and a reference set. Hope you like it as much as I stared at it for a long while!

Another Update to the Horus Heresy Summary Page

Working hard today on giving an update to the Horus Heresy 3e Review Summary Page!

This update includes the Blood Angels, Thousand Sons, Support, Fast Attack, Heavy Transports, and where we are currently up to with Armour. 

Yet to write about: the rest of the Armour section, Lords of War, and the Dark Angels legion! Hence we should be finished with the main Liber Astartes / Hereticus books in the next little while (month or two). Then onward to the other Libers in due course. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Sicaran

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good. 

Background.

A collaboration between Ferrus Manus, Roboute Guilliman, and the Mechanicum, the Sicaran was deployed only just before the Heresy broke out, but swiftly became adopted by the legions. It is a high speed tank capable of laying down an impressive rate of fire and makes it dangerous against other light tanks, bikes, and fliers alike.

Strengths. 

A larger tank with AP=13 on the front and 12 elsewhere with 6 hull points. The real attraction comes from its main weapon. Here there is a choice. 

The twin accelerator autocannon is attractive with 6 S=7 shots that have rapid tracking and skyfire. Two damage is the icing on the cake. 

The Arcus Missile Launcher gives lots of options depending on your warhead preferences. The regular warheads are good due to AP=2 and 2 damage, Sky spear are great for skyfire, Pyrax for causing panic, and neutron flux for shock. I actually favour the regular warheads to be very honest.

The punisher rotary cannon has suppressive which is good and a reasonable amount of shots. I rather prefer the autocannon though.

The omega plasma array is good with breaching and on overload has blast. Pity about the AP otherwise. 

Sponsons can also be exchanged which might be worth it for las cannons for tank hunting perhaps. Pintles have a similar argument, and hunter killer missiles and search lights are to taste. 

Weaknesses. 

Not quite as good as the previous edition, sadly. 

Builds.

Sicaran (160 points).

I like the "naked" version. It gets a good job done. 

Sicaran with Arcus Missile Launcher (200 points). 

A big jump in points cost, but also in flexibility for your battlefield role. 

Sicaran with Omega Plasma Array (185 points). 

Maybe take las cannon sponsons depending on your targets.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Vindicator Siege Tank

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5/5 stars, rounded up. The most criminally under-played tank in Horus Heresy. 

Background.

A somewhat short ranged dedicated siege tank, the Vindicator saw use in both cities and other close range fire fights by all legions. They are well capable of destroying enemy tanks to smithereens and are generally able to pose a strong threat to many things in the game.

Strengths. 

The core demolisher cannon is simply excellent. It comes with breaching, stun, AP=3 and 3 damage with S=12. Okay, you only get one shot and it is a small blast radius, but when you hit, you are going to cause mayhem. If it were AP=2, then it would be the perfect tank to be honest! Ordnance on D makes it a tank killer. 

You can replace the demolisher cannon with a Magna Laser Destroyer. The does give AP=2, at S=10 and 3 damage, along with armour bane. This is similarly excellent and has two shots. Well worth taking as a pure tank killer. Better, you don't really have to move with a range of 36, so you can frequently take the ordnance on D to really go for a kill. 

Pintle options are viable here, but mostly to taste. The hunter killer missile adds to the cost, but might be the difference for a tank kill perhaps. Search lights are not needed (probably) given your target selection, but the dozer blade is to taste. 

Weaknesses. 

Not quite as good as older editions of 40k in some ways - a smaller pie plate and worse AP for the demolisher cannon combine with rear armour of 10 to make for some slightly worse outcomes here. The Laser Destroyer is a very viable option though. I used to love taking a triple vindicator list with Death Guard. Exceptionally powerful. 

Builds.

Vindicator with Demolisher Cannon, Dozer Blade (145 points).

Can't go too wrong! Really effective in terrain dense boards. 

Vindicator with Magna Laser Destroyer (160 points). 

Slightly pricey but very worth while.