Background.
The Sabre is portrayed as a strike tank. Rather than being a gun line tank of the early great crusade, these tanks represent a new form of warfare seen later on: strike, keep the enemy big guns suppressed, fade, and form up again elsewhere very quickly.
This mode of operation will clearly suit some of the faster legions, and those who favour flexible deployment and rapid repositioning when required. I think they should see a reasonable amount of play (and potentially more had they been released at the same time as the Sicaran).
Strengths.
I think we are getting what we are paying for here. A mobile big weapon on a moderate quality tank. It can have multiple battlefield roles depending on its load out, ranging from anti-tank, to anti-infantry, without competing against predators and vindicators for the same force organization slot.
Weaknesses.
For the faster legions (e.g., White Scars), the fast attack slot is probably already spent before you get thinking about these tanks. As such, it may favour other legions whose builds might not be so pressured on this slot in the force organization chart, but still like flexibility and more tanks (e.g., Alpha Legion, Iron Hands).
Fundamentally, they are also 12 armour on the front, and 10 at the back. This isn't a tough tank, but it should do a good job for the points cost.
Builds.
Sabre with Neutron Blaster and multi-melta (110 points).
Does the anti-tank job very nicely. Add a pintle combi-melta if you're feeling lucky?
Sabre with Volkite Saker and havoc launcher (80 points).
The anti-infantry option. Take a Volkite Culverin to taste.
Sabre with Anvilus Snub Cannon and 4x Sabre Missiles (85 points).
Monster hunter tank.
All of the above can also select extra armour and armoured ceramite to taste as well.
I like to think of the Sabre with the Neutron Blaster as a cut price Sicaran Venetor, when I've finished my Zone Mortalis Imperial Fists it will most certainly be featuring in my long mooted Dark Angels Firewing army.
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