Let’s talk about: Super Heavy Tanks

Today’s topic for conversation is the great rumbling behemoths of the battlefield - Super Heavy Tanks. We can get to the popular ‘why baneblades aren’t worth their points’ and rate all the SHTs against one another later, but let's start with taking Super Heavies in groups of 3 rather than singly.

The obvious things are you save 100pts, lose 2 activations, lose the ability to place a BM per tank firing, and have to focus all your firepower on a single enemy. Now for the less obvious:

Edit: Ignore the first point which is answered below
1) Assumption: Can all units can fire through members of their own formation? War Engines block line of sight, but I thought I had seen it played where I live all units can fire through their own formation without impediment even if it includes war engines. Is that standard where you play?

2) War Engines in groups can Fire Fight units in base contact with other units in their formation. This is potentially something that could make groups of SHT both better in (defensive) assaults than either similar points values of Leman Russ formations or single SHTs.
Here is the rule:
3.3.2 Close Combat and Firefight attacks
Instead of rolling a single hit dice for each war engine in
an assault, roll a number of hit dice equal to the war
engine’s starting damage capacity. You may choose to
split these between close combat rolls and firefight rolls
as you see fit, but close combat rolls will only hit enemy
units in base contact, while firefight rolls will only hit
units within 15cm that are not in base contact.

From this it would appear for example that 3 Stormblades that were attacked by terminators could use their Firefight 5+ to attack terminators in base contact with other SHTs in their formation rather than being forced to used their CloseCombat 6+ to fight terminators in contact with themselves.
A single SHT would have to use its 6+ CC, as would leman russes and any other none WE unit whether infantry or vehicle.

Matt, we ALWAYS play that War Engines block line of sight. I've never heard of anyone around Perth playing any other way.

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1) We, and I believe this is common, always play WE block LoS to enemy, friendly + same formation units in both assault+shooting

2) That's already the rule

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Of course, the Stormblades in your example would need LoS to the Terminators to use their FF attacks.

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Baneblades with the upgraded stats (NetEA "full" upgrade, not EUK "half" upgrade) are great, both in companies and as individuals.

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Not to beat a dead horse, but WE always block LOS 'round these parts.
I like companies of SHTs, especially shadowswords - very good for TK requirements, obviously, but much more durable and versatile than deathstrikes. If you're going against SM, 3 TK shots whittles away small formations rather quickly, even on a double move. Shadowswords are much less of a niche weapon than I first thought.

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I must have misinterpretted then; I've not used multiple WE formations myself as yet but thought that was how I saw them used. That's why I was posting it as an assumption and a question, I will try phrase future questions more clearly.

(That does open up additional questions though. I'll just get this one out of the way and then get back to SHT:
Only war engines block LOS, but enemy units get a -1 when partially obscured from the firers view. If you can't ignore other units from your own formation when shooting, wouldn't the enemy be at -1 to hit from any units at the rear of the formation that have their comrades in the way? Aren't we always effectively ignoring allies that are not WE when firing?)



Yes, that's correct they would need LOS to a enemy within 15cm to FF them. That's still a huge advantage over the lone Super Heavy which needs to roll 6s. It might be obvious to some people but it's also not something I have heard mentioned in tactical discussions before this thread.
Amongst other things, it means I will probably take another look at units like Macharius tanks, as well as the larger Super Heavies.



Assuming we have the same stats for NetEA, they are the ones with 4+ 6+ 4+ and 3xTwinHB, Demolisher, Baneblade cannon, 2x Lascannon and Autocannon. That's quite a bag of tricks! Whats wrong with the EUK ones by comparison?

You also forgot an IMO important one.

A Company (3 tanks) allows up to two Support Formations. Three Platoons (1 tank each) REQUIRE 1.5 Companies. Makes a big difference for army composition.

Morgan Vening

Original book stats:

Battlecannon 75cm AP4+/AT4+
Autocannon 45cm AP5+/AT6+
2x Lascannon 45cm AT5+
Demolisher Cannon 30cm AP3+/AT4+ ignores cover
Heavy Bolter 30cm AP5+


NetEA stats:

Baneblade Battlecannon 75cm AP3+/AT3+
Autocannon 45cm AP5+/AT6+
2x Lascannon 45cm AT5+
Demolisher Cannon 30cm AP3+/AT4+ ignores cover
3x Twin Heavy Bolter 30cm AP4+


EpicUK stats:

Bane Battlecannon 75cm AP3+/AT4+
Autocannon 45cm AP5+/AT6+
2x Lascannon 45cm AT5+
Demolisher Cannon 30cm AP3+/AT4+ ignores cover
3x Heavy Bolter 30cm AP5+


The NetEA stats had been in heavy use for 2-3 years when EUK decided to do their "half way" update on their Baneblade. They may eventually go all the way and use the same "full" stats as the NetEA Baneblades, I think.

I guess they were initially just a bit cautious about changing the Baneblade too much, though their balance fears were IMO unfounded (As even NetEA Baneblades hardly shine out as the best unit in the list).

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True, but I didn't include it because it's not universal. For example Krieg can't take 3 SHT as companies and only get them as support, Baran and Mossinians can only take them as support and only in singles etc.
It's worth mentioning though anyway, thanks.



Thanks for posting that E&C. So the only differences between NetEA and EUK is the main gun is AP3/AT3 instead of their AP3/AT4 and twin heavy bolters instead of heavy bolters? Well I suppose you can't really blame people for being cautious about change, but it's hardly going to break the game

According to ArmyForge, Krieg can take a SH support company, but yes they are only a support FM

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That's inaccurate too; a WE can split attacks between CC and FF, though the CC ones will only effect those touching and FF those not. A single superheavy can use it's attacks on targets in FF even if it is in CC.

As long as there are valid targets in FF range, of course... teleporting Terminators, or the like, can tend not to be so nice to you. :-)

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Well yes, I am assuming 4 stands of terminators are all going to want to get stuck in to close combat with a lone war engine. If one lingers at the back then sure, the war engine could fire fight it.

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present for your viewing pleasure, the Super Heavy Shopper's Guide.

The stats and figures are scattered quite widely across the various codexes now, so I've compiled all that I could find into one single list. I included Heavy Tanks and Warhound even though they aren't super heavy tanks due to the obvious similarities in pricing and abilities.
It's an image so I can easily updated any ommissions or typos. If you want the excel file just ask.


(Note these are all NetEA, so the Baneblades will look pretty buff to anyone using other versions)

I marked the items that I think are outstanding in orange.

Kicking off discussion with three questions designed to get around our instinct to say 'each tank is special in its own way',
If you could only take one SHT, which would it be?
Which SHT do you think is worst value for 200pts?
What do you get when you cross a shotgun with a manticore? (hint: the answer is above)