How would you play it?: vs Steam Tank

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Finatain
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Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:16 am

How would you play it?: vs Steam Tank

#1 Post by Finatain »

Hello again all,
In my on going venture to understanding my new army, I bring another topic to try to understand how to tactically face a certain enemy. This time it's the Steam Tank. The meta in my area (which is pretty lame when I think of it) is using a powerful centerpiece unit (i.e. steam tank, hellpit abomination, necrosphinx) with all else as support at the 500-1500 points level (majority of games are basically 1000 points). A gamble, but might also be a good investment in these small point games.
My High Eleves have a large difficulty dealing with these units at these point levels.

So how would you play it vs a Steam Tank at 1000 points?
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Loriel
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Re: How would you play it?: vs Steam Tank

#2 Post by Loriel »

steam tank can be really really hard to tackle especially in such small games.

When I played with Tomb Kings I chose to chaff it up and "babysit" it with exploiting random movement or once I managed to lure it into HKB king, which nailed the poor bastard down. With reavers / eagles babysitting is fairly easy. Try to force the tank against impassable terrain, or over dangerous terrain. funnily enough as it is chariot DT can be really devastating for it.

As with every random movement big part of hindering their performance is to place impassable terrains over the terrain. As it is direct line movement steam tanks (hell pit abominations) might end up losing turns due bad terrain.

To answer how to actual destroy it:

Our best bet would be lore of metal upgraded signature (which can be helpful against Empire, if your opponent likes to use cavalry, demigryph lists) So once again Loremaster of Hoeth is ideal model to have in small games. Making a pure lore of metal mage can be total waste of points should your opponent not take such units. Loremaster has tools for pretty much any situation, gives ld 9 and also is decent combat character. Any other initiative test magic (such as purple suns, pit of shadows etc) work also. Purple sun will be nice also if it destroyes the tank you get juicy power dices with 5+ on 10d6.

One crucial part about Steam tank is that even small ammount of wounds affects its performance (was it every 2 wounds increases the chance of missfire). Not many empire player risk of blowning the steam tank up so they tend to draw safe ammount of Steam points -> performance is seriously hindered.

Bolt throwers can do damage to it with single shots, but most likely RBT have better target from cavalry etc.

Eltharion is also good character with 4 no armor saves allowed attacks and with level 2 wizard he can use lore of metal. Placed in ranked phoenix guard for example he can finish the job your other choices started.

edit:

Once again I didn't directly answer how would I play against it. I would try to use reavers for babysitting duty, using terrain and avoid it as much as possible.
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Sackree
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Re: How would you play it?: vs Steam Tank

#3 Post by Sackree »

If your opponent is cheesy enough to take a tank at 1000pts just take a few Reavers or Eagles and railroad it.

Fight cheese with cheese
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Finatain
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Re: How would you play it?: vs Steam Tank

#4 Post by Finatain »

I like the terrain idea and using an eagle or reaver to "train" it (though I'll probably need to practice it a bit)

As for magic, it seems like the most unreliable way to stop it but at the same time the most effective.

I'll probably bring a loremaster but what items would you put on it? (I think there's 20 points left in hero's %)
Palinux
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Re: How would you play it?: vs Steam Tank

#5 Post by Palinux »

Spirit Leech can also do some damage against the tank. If I remember correct it is only ld 7 and the loremaster is ld 9
w_fergus
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Re: How would you play it?: vs Steam Tank

#6 Post by w_fergus »

Im a huge fan of Lore of Shadow. I truly believe it answers alot of our problems. I cannot tell ya how many times I have been allowed to flank charge a unit with 15 archers. I pop Mindrazor on those bad boys and now I have 15 ASF/STR8-10/ attacks. Bye-Bye steam tank or any other high T/high armour unit.
SteVieBizzLe
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Re: How would you play it?: vs Steam Tank

#7 Post by SteVieBizzLe »

+1 for Mindrazor.
effreem
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Re: How would you play it?: vs Steam Tank

#8 Post by effreem »

I run my loremaster with shield of merwin, sword of might (+1st) and book of hoeth. If you arent playing with 50% lords allowance, now might be a good time to push it, it was FAQ'd into the BRB.

Note that the sword is mostly useful for removing ASL as the LM comes with a great weapon. If you are ok with ASL then the GW is pretty strong (S6 at I6 or 7 with 3 attacks at WS 6, I think, and spells to buff that a bit more (maisma and beasts sig.))
NexS
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Re: How would you play it?: vs Steam Tank

#9 Post by NexS »

At 1000pts, a Loremaster is a good lord option. Searing doom can knock off a few wounds from it almost effortlessly.
With 1 wound knocked off the tank, it misfires 1/3 times. knock 3 wounds off and it's misfiring 1/2 the time. The average on 2D6 is 7, so say 5 or 6 wounds knocked off means it's misfiring 2/3 times.
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Lord Anathir
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Re: How would you play it?: vs Steam Tank

#10 Post by Lord Anathir »

Push for higher points games. These sorts of units aren't designed for 1k balance.

But if you're stuck at 1k, rbt, magic can knock wounds off of it. If you're going to engage it in combat its best to do it with either chaff, or low point high body count units like spearelves. Take advantage of the fact that it can only do damage in his turn.
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