Super-Heavy Throwdown

[Mr Mystery]

How do?

Relatively fresh from my first Apocalypse game in a long old time, I want to chat about the best Super-Heavies out there.

Now? What is best? I'll leave that to you. But having fielded a pooload of Knights and a Reaver, for me it's about 'bang for your buck', and their overall flexibility.

For me, the undisputed title holder of 'best Super-Heavy in the game, bar none' has to go to the Ordinatus Minoris Sagittar. Now, it's not a model I currently own (well, unless you're reading this on Wednesday in which case I'll totes have ordered it!), but having borrow the Reaver, I've been looking for a centrepiece all my own.

But why the Sagittar? Dead easy....

1) It's a piffling 700 points. That's all.
2) Have you seen it's gun? 180" range, Str D, AP1, 10" Blast. With Machine Destroyer (re-rolls 1's on the D chart when knacking a vehicle).
3) 14 Hull Points....so if it does get destroyed, you can use the Strategic Resource to replace it, probably making your opponent curse your name for ever more.
4) IT'S A FRIKKING HUGE LASER ON TRACKS
5) It's also got Volkite weapons, which are always a laugh.
6) Have you seen it's shield rules? -3 Str to enemy attacks in the first turn. -2 Str to enemy attack on the second turn. -1 Str to enemy attacks in the following turns. How awesome is that? With AV14, it's more-than-likely untouchable in the first couple of turns, barring Str D (everything is always barring Str D!)
7) 6+ static Invulnerable (hey, it's better than nothing!)
8) Blessed Autosimulcara, so it's got some chance of self-repair. Which is nice.

All that for 700 points. 700. It's a bargain! Only downside is the £285 asking price - though I am kind of tempted to get two.

Yes, it's cousin the Ulator can do disgusting things to the enemy, but it's quite situational. You need a good angle for starters, and stuff really worth shooting at. It's also 300 points more....

So yes. The Ordinatus Minoris Sagittar totally gets me vote!

[CoffeeGrunt]

It says a lot that I read that list and thought, "boy that sounds incredibly unfun to play against." Maybe because I don't play Apocalypse, mind.

[Mr Mystery]

It's not indestructible, and remains massively vulnerable to assault - but that's why it'll definitely have a body guard of Skitarii Vanguard. Nobody wants to waltz through that many Radium Carbine shots!

Now...all I need do is round off my Mechanicus list, and I'll be able to field that beardy formation where all my upgrades are free

I'm also expecting it'll get a points increase eventually - right now, 4 of those are points cheaper than a Warlord, far harder to kill (because there's four of them!) and kick out more firepower....

Oh, and it's immune to Melta's extra D6. Trololololololol!

[Da Gargoyle]

Reminds me of the scratch built gargant my son and I made back in the day, before GW actually made one. We used cardboard, sprues and a heavily raided bitz box. It wound up with a right hand claw, left arm super zapper and a belly gun. It all fit in with the rules GW put out in a white dwarf issue for scoring super heavies. And the most telling comment when it made its debut, Ït looks like a "Christmas Ork", (Red body, Green head and feet) leading to its name of Santa Claws.

[Da Gargoyle]

Interesting on the OM(G?) though. If it is vulnerable to assault, it becomes the focal point of the battle. For example, as Eldar I use Jet bikes to engage the guarding unit and get the fire dragons or wraithguard in close. Possibly my jet locks to assault the guard, it's just a matter of tying them up. Even in apocalypse battles I do not really have a DAR super heavy, though I do have a Wraithseer and soon a Wraith Knight, even a trio of Prisms which are currently collecting dust. It does only get one shot per turn right?

[Mr Mystery]

Yup - but it's a helluva shot.

Main thing for me is that it's very alpha strike, and most weapons capable of damaging me have to wait a couple of turns for my shield to weaken. That ought to give me time to do some serious damage.

[Denzark]

For me point for point bang for buck, it is the Typhon Siege Tank. 350 base I think, with the possibility to go 48" S10 AP1 7" blast ignores cover. +1 on thunderblitz. Always counts as stationary for firing so can thunderblitz and shoot.

With only 20 points for ceramite armour it ain't going anywhere fast - except for a bucket ton of Grav or D. Which will see anything off.

[CoffeeGrunt]

Worth noting that new FAQ clarifies that Thunderblitz forces Superheavies to snap-fire regardless of them normally ignoring effects that would normally cause them to snap-fire. It's the Facebook FAQs, so YMMV, but worth bearing that in mind when considering Thunderblitz as a tactic.

The Typhon is sturdy as heck though. Only managed to bring one down through massed Lascannon fire and some solid Bastion Breacher shots when I faced it recently.

[Defenestratus]

Revenant Titan.

Titan HF's. 4 Str D pie plates. 36" move. Take two and get even better defense.

I think people would be hard pressed to ignore the WK as "best bang for your buck superheavy".

[Denzark]

Worth noting that new FAQ clarifies that Thunderblitz forces Superheavies to snap-fire regardless of them normally ignoring effects that would normally cause them to snap-fire. It's the Facebook FAQs, so YMMV, but worth bearing that in mind when considering Thunderblitz as a tactic.

Didn't spot that - what a bummer. Is there any psychic powers which would allow you to Thunderblitz and then not have to snap fire so main gun can still be used?

I think people would be hard pressed to ignore the WK as "best bang for your buck superheavy".

Is it though? It is massively underpointed, has high T low armour - and is yet another GMC when it should have an AV. That said, even with D or twin D - is its damage output as good? 7" S10 AP1 Ignores cover, ordnance so re-roll to pen. That brings a lot of hurt at 48" when stationary. And more importantly laughs at re-rollable cover saves.