Heavy Metal, Primaris Tanks and Transports

Primaris Tanks, Transports, and Assorted Vehicles

For the last article of our series I’ll be looking at the tanks, transports, and vehicles of the Primaris Marines. The elements of the Primaris motor pool lack the Primaris keyword. They’ve released since the introduction of the Primaris in 8th edition and are explicitly stated to be crewed by Primaris Marines.

Other than the Vehicle keyword how are they different from other units?

Now, for new players, vehicles use the same stat lines as infantry with Strength, Toughness, Wounds, and all the other statistics. In terms of game mechanics, they work much like infantry. However, unlike simple infantry, they have a Damage Chart. As a vehicle suffers unsaved Wounds, their capabilities decrease in some areas. For example, let’s look at the Storm Speeder Hammerstrike below.

You start on the top line with 10 Wounds. After dropping to 5 Wounds, the Storm Speeder loses Movement, Ballistic Skill, and Attacks. There is a further drop when it reaches 2 Wounds. At 0 Wounds, it is destroyed.

A second difference from infantry, most vehicles have a small chance to explode and deal some number of Mortal Wounds to any units within range. A great last strike when surrounded by the enemy. Not so good when in your own lines. Each vehicle has their own blast radius, damage, and chance of exploding. Check that before deployment.

Elite Walkers

Invictor Tactical Warsuit

A brutal, yet stealthy, combat walker, Invictor Tactical Warsuits are brimming with weapons. Their weapon suite covers long range with a heavy bolter and twin ironhail heavy stubber. As the range closes they throw out even more shots from a fragstorm grenade launcher and auto-hitting incendium cannon. If your opponent charges the warsuit, the incendium cannon also makes it a great Overwatch candidate. The cannon auto-hits and anything else fired is a bonus. If survivors get to melee, then warsuits attack 4 times with their invictor fist at double Strength for 3 Damage.

Furthermore, since the Invictor accompanies Phobos-armored troops, it may deploy outside your deployment zone with the same Concealed Positions ability as Eliminator squads, Infiltrator squads, and Incursor squads share. Instead of moving up to shooting range, your Invictor may start at what you decide is optimum range.

Finally, if you want to go all out on ranged combat, you may replace the incendium cannon with a twin ironhail autocannon. the ironhail shoots 6 times out to 48 inches. Take this weapon if you’d like your warsuits to start well away from the enemy and provide shooting support.

Redemptor Dreadnought

Dreadnoughts have served for as long there have been Space Marines. With the release of Primaris Space Marines, we received a larger, deadlier dreadnought to go with the Primaris. The Redemptor Dreadnought features 13 Wounds, compared to the 8 or 9 of other dreadnoughts, and a flexible suite of weapons. It also shares the Duty eternal of other dreadnoughts which reduces each attacks Damage by one to a minimum of one.

Weaponry moves away from the traditional assault cannon, missile launcher, and Dreadnought Weapons list to the new gatling cannons, fragstorms, macro plasma incinerator, and Icarus rocket pod. The Redemptor lays down more shots at equal or greater strength than the earlier models.

On the other hand, Redemptors cost more. Other dreadnought’ power levels range from 7 to 8 while the Redemptor falls in at 9. When using points, Redemptors are 25 to 55 points more for the base model. Additionally, Redemptors are the only dreadnoughts to have a Damage Chart.

While it might seem the original dreadnoughts are a better purchase, the Redemptor doesn’t start suffering from damage until it has lost 6 Wounds. However, the other dreadnoughts would be down to last 2 or 3 Wounds while your Redemptor still fights on for 7 more. They’re worth it.

Fast Attack Storm Speeders

At the time of this writing, the Storm Speeder has not been released. Previews show it to be a larger, more heavily armed, and armored Land Speeder. Wounds increase from 6 to 10. All these improvements come at a cost and Storm Speeders have triple the Power Level of their basic Land Speeder cousins. They also surpass even specialist Tornadoes and Typhoons.

Unlike the Land Speeder, Storm Speeders do have a Damage Chart. You can see the degradation from the Hammerstrike example earlier in the article. However, when a Storm Speeder begins experiencing degradation after 5 Wounds, the Land Speeder would be on its last one. Meanwhile, Storm Speeders still have 5 to go.

Storm Speeders are broken down into three specialist types.

Storm Speeder Hailstrike

The cheapest of the Storm Speeders, the Ironhail is a dedicated anti-personnel platform. With an onslaught gatling cannon and twin ironhail heavy stubber, the Hailstrike lacks the AP to successfully eliminate heavy infantry. However, against lightly armored foes, such as Guardsmen, Orks, smaller Tyranids, and other, they work very well.

Storm Speeder Thunderstrike

Armed with stormfury missiles, Thunderstrike las-talon, and twin Icarus rocket pods, the Thunderstike threatens vehicles on the ground and in the sky. The D6 Damage on the missile and las-talon make it a poor choice for engaging infantry because of potential overkill, but will help pick-off isolated characters. The Icarus pods are intended for anti-air work, but will do a good job engaging infantry due to the 2D3 shots and Blast ability. Bestt of all, Thunderstrikes start off with a Ballistic Skill of 2+

Storm Speeder Hammerstrike

Advertised as an anti-fortification platform, Hammerstrikes look to be short ranged vehicle hunters with their Strength 8 melta destroyer and missiles. Many fortifications have an 8 or higher toughness. You’d much rather wound on 3+ than 4+ or 5+. There are many, many vehicles out there with Toughness 7 or less, not to mention monsters and heavy infantry. However, back to the advertised role, Hammerstrikes get 5 of those shots at optimal range, so some will connect dealing solid damage.

Heavy Support Gladiators

The Gladiator line serves as the new Main Battle Tank of the Space Marines. Improved Toughness and an extra Wound give Gladiators more staying power than rhino-chassis vehicles. Their expanded size provides more dedicated space for weapons. Finally, the Grav Pulse stratagem gives them some fun options when falling back or being charged.

Like the Storm Speeder, Space Marines use three different variants of the Gladiator.

Gladiator Lancer

Designed as a heavy armor killer, Gladiator Lancers mount a laser destroyer in their turret. This weapon fires 2 Strength 10 shots for d3+3 damage each. Even Knights and Superheavy vehicles will suffer wounds on a 3+. Let’s not think about hitting a character with it.

The Lancer laser destroyer really is THE weapon of this Gladiator variant. The storm bolters, serve a minimal anti-personal mission, but are only likely to remove lightly armored models. Even the options and upgrades are intended for point defense or to dissuade flyers rather than the main mission. Still, this edition encourages split fire, so pack that tank if you have the points.

Gladiator Reaper

Where the Lancer hunts the largest prey, Reapers stalk the smallest. Armed with twin heavy onslaught gatling cannons for 24 Strength 6 shots, Reapers wipe light infantry off the board and have enough shots to remove heavier models. the secondary and upgrade weapons fit right into the primary mission so add them on as well.

Gladiator Valiant

Armed with 2 multi-meltas and a twin las-talons, Valiants have short range, but high damage output. At 24 inches, each of the 6 shots score a D6 of Damage to a target with great AP. At 12 inches, the multi-meltas pick up a +2 to that roll. This potential Damage makes the Valiant the highest priced Gladiator with a 13 Power Level.

Secondary weapons, like the ironhail heavy stubber and Icarus rocket pods aren’t intended for the Valiant’s main targets of tank hunting. Instead, as on the Lancer, serve as light anti-personnel weapons and add some anti-air to your force.

Heavy Support Repulsors

With Toughness 8, 16 Wounds, transport capacity, and tons of weapons, Repulsors are the Primaris equivalent of the Space Marine Land Raider. If your infantry absolutely has to cross the battlefield, put them in a Repulsor or Repulsor Executioner.

Repulsor

One of the few vehicles able to Transport Primaris Marines, Repulsors carry up to 10. They may even transport Primaris in Mk X Gravis armor, but they take up 2 spots. However, transport is not the primary purpose of Repulsors. Just look at the shooting options!

For armaments, a Repulsor starts with a heavy onslaught gatling cannon (12 shots!), Icarus ironhail heavy stubber for limited air defense, a regular ironhail heavy stubber, 2 krakstorm grenade launchers, 2 storm bolters, twin heavy bolters, autolaunchers (for smokescreens), and a single shot hunter-slayer missile with Strength 10. All told, that is a lot of firepower. But wait, you can swap weapons out!

The standard Repulsor is excellent for engaging enemy infantry. Should you need a ersatz tank hunter however, swap the heavy onslaught for a las-talon and the twin heavy bolter mount for a twin lascannon one. That nets you 4 Strength 9, D6 Damage shots at 24 inches and 2 at 48 inches. Additionally, the Icarus ironhail heavy stubber may be replaced by an Icarus rocket pod. While shorter ranged, the rocket pod gives you a D3 Strength 7 shots. The AP isn’t as good as a lascannon, but it works well against aircraft and light vehicles.

For even more anti-infantry firepower, the storm bolters and autolaunchers may be swapped out for fragstorm grenade launchers. One of your ironhail heavy stubbers may also be changed out for an onslaught gatling cannon.

Final note, it is tempting to go wild on upgrades. If you’re playing with Power, then it isn’t much of a problem. When you shift to points, the hard hitting upgrades will increase the point cost of an already expensive vehicle. Fortunately, that’s what magnets are for!

Repulsor Executioner

The Executioner trades some of the transport capacity for even heavier weapons. Only 6 Primaris Marines or 3 Mk X Gravis armored ones fit inside. Again, look at that massive weapon suite. Transporting troops in style is just a bonus.

The new weapon is a macro plasma incinerator, shooting a D6 Strength 8 shots with Damage 2 and Blast, expressly designed to destroy squads of heavy infantry. Since this plasma weapon is mounted on a vehicle, unmodified rolls of ‘1’ only deal a mortal wound instead of destroying the model. Shooting the macro plasma incinerator may be a valid choice for the increased Strength and Damage. Just keep your mighty Techmarine close to buff that right out.

Interested in hunting some tanks or knights? Replace the plasma with a heavy laser destroyer. It reaches out to 72 inches with a 12 Strength and an equally impressive D3+3 Damage. Did I mention it gets two shots?

In addition, the Executioner may add an extra ironhail heavy stubber and an Icarus rocket pod without losing any other weapons.

The Repulsor Executioner is a real beast and has a point and Power cost to match. They will rapidly eat through your army’s budget. Make sure to take good advantage of terrain to block enemy shooting and annihilate your targets.

Dedicated Transports

Dedicated Transports occupy a special place in Warhammer 40,000’s Detachments. For each infantry unit in a detachment, you may include a dedicated transport. Like APCs and IFVs in the real world they tend to be not very well armed and armored.

Impulsor

The only Dedicated Transport available, the Impulsor only carries 6 Primaris models i.e. a 5 man squad and a character and cannot transport Mk X Gravis armored models. However, with the Assault Vehicle ability, Impulsors may move and disembark their unit, unlike many other transports. So, unlike the Repulsors, troops may disembark and charge after the Impulsor has completed a Normal Move.

While the Impulsor starts with 2 storm bolters, the chassis may carry a multitude of different weapons and support equipment. Storm bolters may be upgraded to fragstorm grenade launchers and the commander’s cupola may mount an ironstorm heavy stubber.

The vehicle also includes a hardpoint for mounting one of four options. A shield dome gives the Impulsor a 5+ invulnerable save, something not usually seen on Imperial vehicles. Adding an orbital comms array permits the vehicle, once per game, to call in an orbital strike, dealing D3 mortal to nearby units. For more direct action, mount the bellicatus missile array. The bellicatus carries the standard compliment of Imperial missiles; krak, frag, and Icarus missiles. Finally, there is the ironhail skytalon array which fires 8 shots at Strength 4. It is great for engaging lighter aircraft or infantry.

Entries in this series

Space Marine Primaris Beginners Overview – Your Troop selections and what differentiates Primaris from regular Space Marines.
Primaris Marine Leaders, Your HQs
Best of the Best, Primaris Marine Elites
Lightning Strike, Primaris Fast Attack
Hammers of War, Primaris Heavy Support
Heavy Metal, Primaris Tanks and Transports