[ArtificiallyEnhanced]

"One of the more inspirational sights for the loyal servants of the Emperor will be the sight of a magnificent Leman Russ Battle Tank spearheading the advancement of the Imperial line. These monstrous behemoths, each one a veritable fortress in its own right, is loaded with firepower from even the most basic of patterns. These patterns include the standard battle tank with its large, anti-infantry main gun; the greatly feared Demolisher, armed with a demolisher siege cannon for breaking through formations and plasteel walls alike; and the rare Executioner pattern. The Executioner is a deadly variant, able to spew out massive gouts of plasma at the advancing enemy, far larger than that of a regular plasma gun.

But this is not all these behemoths are armed with. Get too close and you may feel the wrath of a promethium fuelled heavy flamer mounted directly into the hull or feel the zip of the heavy bolter rounds as they fly from the side mounted sponsons. Truly it is one of the great behemoths of the battlefield and one of the Imperium's finest creations."

So, this week we have the LRBT to discuss. The thing I'd like to know most is which variants people use the most, or would like to use if there were a plastic kit for it. My personal favourites are the Executioner and Demolisher, though secondary weapons can vary. I currently Only own one, but I do aim to get a few standard LRBTs in the future (along with a whole other list of stuff that can probably wait for now. Suffice to say it includes a super heavy!).

P.S. I'd also like to apologise for the infrequency with which I've posted these threads, work has got the better of me recently and it's been a struggle to find time.

_Æ

 

[Stradius]

A Demolisher to put the punch in my offensive formations and a standard Russ or two with heavy bolter sponsons to back up my firebase.

Other than that the others are for the most part either overpriced or fill a role that can be done by something else in our codex. Exterminators for hydras, Eradicators for Hellhounds. A Punisher or Vanquisher is lackluster at BS3 unless you buy Pask, who is hardly worth his price for a single point increase in BS. The only one that could be worth it is an Executioner, but how often do you face mass 2+ armor saves that don't deep strike into your face?

 

[Hockeyman506]

I have to second you there on the Demolisher and the Executioner. But here is my opinion on the variants.

Leman Russ Battle Tank: Just looking at this vehicle's stats alone is amazing: great armor, strong long-range gun, lumbering behemoth, many different options to choose from, all for cheap. Looks perfect, until you look and the other variants and start thinking about the niche it's going to fill. In my opinion this tank is too much a generalist unit, high strength and AP, but can't insta-kill T5, do much to TEQs, or do anything to even AV12 reliably. They are purely anti-MEQ and doesn't have any options to compliment the AP3. HB for horde is nice, and plasma is good for termies. Only problem is that whenever you fire the sponsons or the main gun for effect you aren't using the other weapon to it's full advantage.

Final Opinion: Solid tank, but can do much better.

Leman Russ Exterminator: Anti-transport tank to the core and can load wounds on MCs as well. Four twin-linked autocannons are very nice. Once again as a LRBT hull it has great armor. Pask can make really make it put out that hurt even better. Unfortunately there are many, many other things in the codex that can fill the same roll for much cheaper. Autocannon teams with orders, Autocannon Scout Sentinels, Hydras. All carry a cheaper price tag and have special rules that allow them to do pretty much the same thing.

Final Opinion: Use something cheaper and in greater volume that doesn't take up a precious Heavy Support slot.

Leman Russ Vanguisher: Single-shot tank that can mess up vehicles something fierce, but can't hit the broadside of a barn unless Pask is taken. So many points for this thing just for anti-tank? Eh, meltaguns, lascannon batteries, vendettas, and Bastion Breachers do the same job and are much more versatile.

Final Opinion: Useless

Leman Russ Eradicator: The last of the LRBT hull variants. Great anti-horde vehicle and the ability to ignore cover, decent strength, AP4, very good range. I really like this design actually, unfortunately I have never used one. Can be a very useful and tough vehicle. Sadly Hellhounds fill this niche very well and simply preform the role better for a lower point cost and doesn't take up a heavy support slot.

Final Opinion: Would love to take it, but only once I've exhausted the hellhound option.

Leman Russ Demolisher: Now we're talking here! Strength 10, AP2, an extra point of rear armor, and cheap as heck too? Hell yes! The short range of this gun is a turn-off for a lot of people, but these have never failed me. The improved rear armor means that would-be assault units have a more difficult time killing it. Keep a heavy flamer on this thing and just remember to always move and they will always preform. Horde, MEQ, TEQ, AV14, nearby squads in cover? The only thing this beast has issue with is units in cover at a distance. If you lose the main gun, just go around roast, tank-shocking, and ramming.

Final Opinion: Best friggin tank available. I always take at least two of these even at 1000 points.

Leman Russ Punisher: The second demolisher hull variant. Short range gun with the extra point of armor to help with assault units. Looking at the guns stats, holy shit 20 shots at Strength 5? Unfortunately BS3 sucks and AP- means that a lot of units (even ork boys) will get through fine. If you really want this thing to go nuts, heavy bolter sponsons and Pask are the way to go. But dear Christ 250 points? That's more than the Executioner plasma wagon and just as much as a Landraider. It will have a field forcing saves on MCs, but ish, that price tag just hurts.

Final Opinion: Too pricey to do it's job effectively.

Leman Russ Executioner: Last of the demolisher hull variants and the most expensive tank outside of apocalypse. This bad-boy is always a primary target and one lucky shot will take the main gun out. Because of that a lot of people favor the sponsons just to keep it more effective. Very, very expensive. But then I stop and think about it 5 plasma cannon shots is NUTS, any TEQs will be wasted, MEQs will melt, and anything with FNP will cry. Heck, it can work decently against Trukks and Rhinos at last resort. I honestly don't mind the price tag and fire-magnet. It means that the enemy isn't shooting at my other things rushing forward to crush them, and should he/she choose to focus on the faster vehicles, the Exectutioner is free to sit back and go nuts.

P.S. Inquisitor with mystics + Executioner with Plasma Sponsons = pain

Final Opinion: Expensive, but I love it.




My take on the tanks.

 

[ArtificiallyEnhanced]

That it may be with the Executioner then I ask myself how often do I take an inquisitor with the LR. Then things make sense.

 

[Hockeyman506]

Exactly why I usually only field two Demolishers. The Executioner doesn't show up until around 1750 point games.

 

[r0b0t]

P.S. Inquisitor with mystics + Executioner with Plasma Sponsons = pain

FAQ tells us that allied armies such as inquisitors may only take a LRBT not any of its variants. http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m470041a_FAQ_ImperialGuard_2009.pdf

 

[darby5]

FAQ tells us that allied armies such as inquisitors may only take a LRBT not any of its variants. http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m470041a_FAQ_ImperialGuard_2009.pdf

But you can take the Inq with your IG army.

I think I will convert my LRBT to a Vanquisher and buy the tank that ignores cover for camo cloaked snipers in fortified positions. I understand that the hellhound is cheaper but I am one of those who wants the range. Hopefully the Vanquisher will hit with at least one of it's weapons since it has 50% chance. I can't hit vehicles with scatter - I'm cursed. I would rather have the straight roll for popping tanks. Guess I need to put Pask in it...

 

[ArtificiallyEnhanced]

FAQ tells us that allied armies such as inquisitors may only take a LRBT not any of its variants. http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m470041a_FAQ_ImperialGuard_2009.pdf

That's true but you can take an =I= in an IG army.
---
Gah, ninja-ed!

 

[AppleCookie]

Leman Russ Battle Tank:
...In my opinion this tank is too much a generalist unit, high strength and AP, but can't insta-kill T5, do much to TEQs, or do anything to even AV12 reliably. They are purely anti-MEQ and doesn't have any options to compliment the AP3...

Final Opinion: Solid tank, but can do much better.

These two sentences seem to directly contradict eachother to me. Not to say I don't like the other variants. But the standard russ will always seem best to me. Perfect for a gunline and cheap. It definitely isn't a generalist, it seems to be made for killing marines, which most people play anyways.

The other two tanks I use are, like many others, the Demolisher and Executioner. I use the Executioner more just for fun to watch a tank which can cost more than a land raider fire plasma at everything. Demolisher fits well with melta vets though. Still, nothing can win over sitting a Russ way back, safely tucked behind a meatshield of guardsmen, and watching its mighty cannon rip appart marines scrambling out of wrecked transports.

 

[Brunal]

Hi,
Would you mind explaining this thing with the inquisitor in the IG army?
I do not see such unit in the codex.
Tnx

 

[Hockeyman506]

The Inquisitor is from the Daemonhunters Codex. You can ally units from both Daemonhunters and Witchhunters, the rules for such are found in their respective codicies.

 

[Brunal]

Thank you for explaining, but I have to admit I'm getting confused.
I understand you can ally DH and IG. Then the inquisitor can only take LRBT according to the FAQ.
Then some of you say the inquisitor can be part of the IG. Do you mean the DH codex says the inquisitor can be considered an IG?

 

[Hockeyman506]

Ah, I see where you are confused. You can either use the DH or IG as your parent codex. If you are using IG as the parent codex you are allowed to ally in 0-1 HQ, 0-1 Elites, 0-2 Troops, and 0-1 Fast Attack from the DH codex with the provision that you have already covered you 1 HQ and 2 Troops from the IG codex, after that you have no restrictions.

It works a bit different when DH is the parent codex. That's when you start running into restrictions on what IG units you can induct.

 

[Brunal]

got the picture, thank you for taking the time to explain.

 

[==Me==]

Pretty much, if it isn't a Demo or Exec, I'm not interested. The other variants are either overpriced, downright lame, or overshadowed by superior options elsewhere.

The LRBT gets a lot of love, and I don't see why outside of nostalgia. It does nothing other things don't do better and doesn't offer anything on its own. Whoop dee do for killing marines in the open, everything does that and considering how prevalent cover is, it rarely happens against experience players. Autocannons bust armor better, AV14 and 2+ saves laugh at it, and other units can do its primary job sometimes better or at least as a secondary task.

 

[Stradius]

Why? Because its cheap, AV14, and has a 72" range, so it can sit back with a platoon and pose a general hazard to almost everything on the board, and with a hull mounted heavy flamer, makes getting near it (or the platoon its with) a hazardous choice.

 

[Mad Cat]

My favourites are

1. Basic russ with plasma sponsons and hull HB for 190
2. Basic russ with hull HB for 150
3. Demolisher with hull HB for 165

 

[Jemal]

I've been having a lot of fun with my Vanquisher:
Vanquisher cannon, Lascannon, Sponson Plasma cannons, & Pask: 260 pts

It's more expensive than Chuck Norris, and a giant target, but he obliterates termies, tanks, and MC's alike. Plus since I have two Vendettas, having my opponent direct his anti-tank at Point-Sink-Pask (With less chance to penetrate due to the higher armour) buys my vens extra rounds to do a little obliteration of their own.

 

[cKerensky]

Interesting, though I don't think I'd ever waste pask on a vanquisher like that. I'll throw him inside an exterminator for the same role. Instead of of rolling 2d6 for pen, I'm simply rolling four twin linked shots at BS4 and S7+1. I'd bet the math works out in favour of more shots. Hell, if its sitting still, throw a lascannon and fire S9+1 shots. That'll take out tanks or APCs with contemptuous ease.

 

[Lord Borak]

Interesting, though I don't think I'd ever waste pask on a vanquisher like that. I'll throw him inside an exterminator for the same role. Instead of of rolling 2d6 for pen, I'm simply rolling four twin linked shots at BS4 and S7+1. I'd bet the math works out in favour of more shots. Hell, if its sitting still, throw a lascannon and fire S9+1 shots. That'll take out tanks or APCs with contemptuous ease.

Thats exactly what I run. Lascannon and all. Probably not the best use of points but it does indeed shred transports and AV12 vehicles with contemptuous ease. Plus being a only a humble Exterminator it is generally ignored.