Tactica Leman Russ: Demolisher

This second tactica will focus on my favorite Leman Russ variant, the Demolisher. This death dealing, smoke belching, earth churning machine has always held an interesting place in the hearts and mind of IG players, and for good reason.

Oddly, one of my favorite 40k pics

Tactica Leman Russ: Battle Tank

I've decided to write a few articles about my favorite unit in the IG codex, the Leman Russ. Each will focus on a single flavor of these tanks, including (ultimately) the FW variants. Today we look at the Battle Tank.

Damn the alpha hull is pretty

Biting Off More Than I Can Chew: Maybe Hitting A GT

I've always wanted to go to a GT but life and the painting requirement have always kept me from going...sadly. Well, this new codex has given me some ideas for armored lists (because I play any other?) and I've decided to start painting a list at 2000 points. If I can get it painted by this August then I'll attempt to take it to the Pleasentville GT to test my mettle against other people with the time and will to paint an army.

Yep, I'm taking this seriously. :)

The First Crack: A 1750 Army List

After a day or two I've had a chance to start some army theory and work up a 1750 list that I'll probably play around with until I get a better feel for this codex. The over all changes to the book weren't much but they have a huge impact on the kind of lists you can make all the same. Anti-air is much harder, especially for mechanized armies, and the Tank Commander has to deal with the huge weakness of being in a squadron. What really surprised me was that my final list featured one of my favorite IG units!

These Guys

Final List Idea: Armored Inquisition

The tournament is on Saturday and, I'll be honest, I want to win.

To that end I tweeked my lists around a bit and this is the current list I'll be taking: Armored Company and Inquisition.

Heck Yeah!

Current Rumors: Vendetta vs. Hydra

I looked at the current rumors today at Natfka's Place and saw that the Vendetta (justifiably) will probably be going up to 170 points. While I'm nominally fine with the increase, the increase to the Valkyrie (see some rumors at Imperial Patrol) going up about 20-30 points seems harsh on top. Air Cavalry is surely getting hit with the stick I was afraid of. Good thing I don't play Air Cavalry :)

How Its Done

Upcoming Tournament! 1750!

Well, the tournament I tried to organize isn't going to happen. Too many difficulties getting the players that wanted to do it a certain way to actually do it that way. I eventually quit. Not worth the stress.

That being said, I'm going to play in my FLGS's next tournament on the 12th of April and this is the list I'm thinking about bringing.

Ye thou I go through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil for I have the Demolisher Cannon and they do not.!

Early Christmas and 1.5k Escalation

Well, having between three and four Christmases in any given year, my wife and I have adopted the tradition of doing our own Christmas a week or so early. It gives us some time to unwrap and actually enjoy our gifts to each other before the hustle and bustle the other visits drowns everything out.

That being said, I have an announcement: My wife is the smartest, sexiest, most wonderful woman in the whole wide world. I had this under the tree:

I love that woman.

RTT Game 3 - Tanks vs...Where is everybody?

Game 3 time. I'm scheduled to go up against a player I've played a couple of times. Tabled him at the last tournament in round one and both of us are playing similarish lists (parsed down from 2500 points.)

RTT Game 2 - Tanksgiving Mk. 1 vs. Draigo

So, game 2 and this time I'm facing off against Grey Knights...evil Grey Knights. No, serioudly. Look at their second in command!

I present: Brother-Librarian Phlegm

Clearly they noble Grey Knights have been corrupted by the influence of Nurgle and must be cleansed for the greater good of the Imperium. Game on.

RTT Game 1 - Tanksgiving Mk. I vs. Kharn

Well, I suppose its finally time for me to get some battle reports made up. Thanks to those who've been patient, all six or so that read this :)

I was actually a bit intimidated by this opponent at first because this was the sight that greeted me when I arrived at the tournament.

Double Helldrakes...yay.

Despite the fear factor these models carry I didn't let it get to me. I'm AV14 guy after all.

2k Six Russ Mk. II

So, I've gotten some feedback on my list from a few different websites and friends. While the reviews have been generally positive I'm not thrilled by them. I'm thinking about going an alternative route of having mounted squads in Chimeras working in support of the Russ. This is the list below. Please comment your thoughts.

HQ-
Primaris Psyker x2

Trp-
Veteran Squad - Plasmagun x3
Chimera - Hull Heavy Flamer and Turret Multilaser

Veteran Squad - Plasmagun x3
Chimera - Hull Heavy Flamer and Turret Multilaser

Veteran Squad - Plasmagun x3
Chimera - Hull Heavy Flamer and Turret Multilaser

Veteran Squad - Plasmagun x3
Chimera - Hull Heavy Flamer and Turret Multilaser

Fst-
Vendetta Gunship

Hvy-
Thunderer Siege Tank

Thunderer Siege Tank

Leman Russ Demolisher - Hull Heavy Bolter

Leman Russ Demolisher - Hull Heavy Bolter

Leman Russ Executioner - Hull/Sponson Heavy Bolters

Leman Russ Exterminator - Hull/Sponson Heavy Bolters, Heavy Stubber, and Knight-Commander Pask

Battle Plan- In early game, the Chimera basically hid behind the armor and work in support of it. Veterans disembark only to claim objectives (9/10th of time at least.) The Vendetta replaces the Quad as my anti-air. The Psykers make for cheap HQs that I don't need to buy a transport for.

A simpler list but every unit in it seems like it has more of a purpose. The other list seemed less focused. Plus, this list plays up the theme of armored advance a lot more. I can hear the creaking of treads now.

Heavy Armor Deployment

Playing Imperial Guard is a pleasure. Truly, a pleasure. No other army can do the kinds of things the Imperial Guard can do and do them as well as us. It actually serves to make this army unique. One example of this is our ability to field masses AV14 vehicles. Some may ask why this is so fun when the meta still incorporates enough melta and melee to deal with a few measly Leman Russ tanks and I'll respond by stating that those people are clearly not taking enough Leman Russ in their army (I don't take less that 3 above 1k points.)

Two months ago I was in a tournament. The point level was 2500 and I had fourteen vehicles in my army. Five of them were Leman Russ variants (2 Demolishers, a Vanquisher, an Executioner, and a Exterminator) while my sixth heavy support was a Manticore. In each game I found the exact same result and that was the enemy being unable to deal with my heavy armor enough. Sure, I lost 2-3 tanks a game but that didn't matter since I still had 2-3 tanks left!

The durability of my Russ, combined with the amount of pain they can bring if left to their own devices, meant my enemy was in a tough spot. They needed to hurt my armor but had to also thin down my amount of scoring units (8 for those wondering.) This left them with hard choices to make, often leaving both concerns only half done and myself still possessing enough scoring units and firepower to do finish the game on top.

An example:
I went up against a Ravenwing DA list. You guys know the one. It has a LRC with the salvo banner in it. A few cheap tactical squads to hold backfield units and then as many bikes and black knights as possible. A solid, if generic, list. The problem was their inability to face that many tanks and threats at once. I could ignore their backfield for 2-3 turns while my whole army concentrated on the bikes. Missiles couldn't hurt my Russ and the Russ would act as mobile cover for the rest of the army (which was full mechanized.)

Turn 2 Marbo silenced their Lascannon devastators. By turn 3, all of the bikes were dead and I wasn't going to be taking anymore casualties for the rest of the game, baring 3-4 guardsmen. Also, the Vanquisher (a disappointing tank sadly) had been left alone since it wasn't much of a threat to bikes. This gave it plenty of time to kill that LRC, denying the enemy is precious banner just as the guardsmen would start emerging from Chimera to claim objectives.

His melta didn't cut it in only a couple of squads. The Black Knights plasma talons were almost worthless since their only target was AV12 in cover. My tanks plus veterans could then counter attack and make him pay for thinking he was going to be facing space marines.

Who else fields Russ like this (outside of an Armored Company?) Anybody care to share their own experiences?