Vanilla Preds, are they worth it?

[Infinite Freedom]

As the the thread title states, I am curious if the Predators in the standard Space Marine Codex worth it or should I look at something else for that empty HS slot?

[SotonShades]

Personnally I like them. Never rated them without sponsons, but might just be my play style. I've also never made them work multi-role, so either TL lascannon and heavy Bolters or Autocannon and lascannons.

So I guess I am recommending either Autocannon/HB as an infantry hunter, or triple lascannon tank hunter (my personnal favourite) dedicated tank. They can both excel at their roles, but they will be a fire magnet if you don't have another unit capable of filling out that role as well.

A lot of people prefer Devastator Squads, partly because you get up to 4 weapons rather than 3 (with maybe a one shot missile) and they are much less likely to be killed by a single shot. I also love taking vindicators (partly because my marines are siege specialists, same as the Imperial Fists) for the shear threat value despite it being somewhat mitigated by the rise of melta.

To sum up; worth taking? Yes, but make sure you have another option that can peform the same role so they don't become a fire magnet. How to take them? Dedicated to one role so you aren't wasting fire. Better than other HS options? Depends entirely what else you have in the list and your style of play.

[Infinite Freedom]

I play a defensive strategy with a couple squads acting offensively. The other HS slots are currently taken up by a Las/Missile Dev Squad and an HB/Plas Dev squad. The empty slot would be taken up by a Crusader, but it's DT for my THSS Terminators.

[thecactusman17]

Hmm. Your forces seem rather well balanced for dealing with heavily mechanized units at range, a fine representation of a siege style army. I would suggest taking the Autocannon / Heavy Bolter setup to deal with entrenched infantry, and if you have points left over I might suggest taking Sgt. Chronus as an entertaining and thematically appropriate upgrade. That's a lot of shooting to hit on 2s with.

[Infinite Freedom]

If I drop the melta bike squad I should have the points. Them or the Dred in the Drop Pod.

[Defenestratus]

Standard SM Codex predators are a bit limited by the still retarded vehicle movement/shooting rules. The blood angels variant is well worth it however with its ability to move 6" and still shoot everything.

I feel that you're probably better served by a devastator squad IMO if you're using the vanilla codex.

[Infinite Freedom]

Got two already

[thecactusman17]

I think that Blood Angels are a little limited by everything, in the sense that you have to focus on a theme (all tanks, all dreads, or all jump) and you can't really deviate from it and come out with a winning list. They do a get a benefit for their preds, but at the cost of less cost effective Dev squads and other heavy weapon units.

For the point cost, the base autocannon pred with HB sponsons is a great buy with decent anti-tank vs. light armor and the ability to put out a huge number of wounds on anything it points at, including lone models.

[Root]

I never play Vanilla Marines without a Dakka predator. Its cheap and tough and works wonderfully as long as you have other stuff to draw fire away from it. I run one alongside a Vindicator and a few Rhinos and its usually the last one to be targeted, leaving it happy to sit in cover and shoot 10 shots a turn out to 24"...

[RocketRollRebel]

You cant really go wrong with Either the cheap anti infantry of the Auto Cannon/Heavy Bolter/(storm bolter for an even 100pts?) build or cheap med/light AT busting of the Auto Cannon/Las Cannon set up.