Tank Hunting: The Falcon

[thesanityassassin]

So we all know that mech is the new black when it comes to 40k these days, and few armies do mech as well as the Eldar.

One of the main reasons behind this is the marvel of engineering that is the Falcon grav tank. Armed with fairly potent and multi-role weapons, decently armoured, able to transport troops and darn near indestructible when equipped with the ever-present Holofields, which force two dice to be rolled on the damage table, choosing the lowest. Did I mention it was FAST?

This vehicle can cause fits to enemies, as it can effectively move around the battlefield taking shots at targets of opportunity, before scooting 24 inches (or faster with Star Engines), and driving your forces off an objective, claiming it for the Eldar with a contained squad of Dire Avengers.

In Kill-Point games it's no slouch either, as the ability to move fast and downgraded "stunned" results to "shaken" coupled with holo-fields make it, and by extension the squad inside, nearly impossible to score points for.

So how does one deal with this technological menace? This thread is here to help answer that! What are some situations that have come up in your games that have caused problems What are some solutions you've come up with to destroy this Eldar game-winner?

[usscott]

i don't play 40k that much and have to play a tank elder army . i do know the game and i wood say make shower u got tank to . not that i know for show but i bet the ac low make show u got mullets shot in the mid str like assuth cannons . thought in a tournament i go for Mach it well help you get more army's than just elder

[thesanityassassin]

Those are some good ideas Scott! Making sure that you have tanks, particularly transports to sit on objectives to stop them from tank shocking seems like a good plan.

I've found as well that things like S7 multi-shot (or S6 rending) can do best against a Falcon. Once it's immobile then the threat level goes down massively, though it's still hard to destroy for points.

[danydaigle24]

I know with my BA the best thing is to let them start the game and DS everything and in all my troops I have melta and infurnus pistol so Eldar tank can do that much. During the tournament it was my first game against a Eldar playing with 7 Weave Serpent and have a minor lost because I didnt use the right tactic. If you are not playing well against good Eldar its almost impossible to win. What I have learn you really need to let them start the game because they will start everything in reserve if not.

If you are not playing BA I think what Matt says is a good tactic. Multiple S 6-7 shoots. For example lots of chimera in guards with autocannon will be effective or even better with guard the hydra tank so they dont have cover...

[Jack Shrapnel]

It does seem like Eldar mech can really mess with you on objective games rather easily if they go second... they'll always get the chance to tank shock you off the objectives - but only if they've got the tanks still moving... if you can hold it still for even a turn, you have a much better chance of wrecking it if you can get it with a powerfist or MC. So my goal with mech (as I don't have the firepower in either of my armies to actually wreck a vehicle reliably by shooting) is the combo of stun and assault (as I don't really have many other options)... so I always look at taking out mech as what can I hit with the one-two punch... that helps me with target priority...

...late game, if it's got a troop choice in it... it HAS to go down!

[Mythweaver]

I don't have the experience in 4th addition to get caught up in the "it must be destroyed" frame of mind.

Talking about the Falcon, strictly as a Medium Tank, a destroyed result isn't a priority, IMHO. Mobile weapons platforms only cause a serious effect on the game if they can shoot.

I treat all tanks in this manner, shoot at it until you score a shaken or stunned result and carry on to a different target, if you roll a 5 or 6 on the damage table it is just icing on the cake.

By turn 4 you have hopefully takin out all of the fast and scoring threats your opponent has on the table, then you can concentrate on destroying Falcons etc...

The big exception to this rule is the Landraider...which I usually do my best to ignore.

I am new to the game but this just seems to make sense to me.

As a Falcon pilot myself, I fear assault cannons more than anything else.

Brad

[Jack Shrapnel]

Not sure if this would work against the "tank shock you off the objective" trick but...

putting an objective in forest / difficult terrain would mean Mr. Falcon has to risk immobilizing himself right? (not a great chance of it, but hey, even terminators roll 1's sometime right?)

Can you place an objective right beside impassible terrain (ie: building - I'm pretty sure you can't put it right in the building right?) this may minimize the options to tank shock off.... (I could be completely mistaken here) as the tank can't move through impassable right?

not sure if this works too - if you bubble wrap your troops (let's say a horde army using two troops to secure the objective - for example if you have a tervigon or two spitting out babies) one protecting another, would the tank only be able to tank shock the first unit or could it do both?

[thesanityassassin]

Tanks can unfortunately tank shock right through multiple units....they just nominate their final position and drive straight there, blasting through any units unless they are stopped by a death or glory.

Unsure about putting objectives IN buildings.....though for impassable terrain, Falcons can fly right over it due to being skimmers, though they can't land in it.

[Jack Shrapnel]

...if you're flying over the building, can you tank shock units in it? (since you're not technically touching the building after all, which contains the troops, but flying over it)

objective beside building + troops in building may equal protection from tank shock?

[usscott]

i have been over the last 2 week whiching ever batte report i can find . i see lot and lot of vechicles to stop thing like tank off odjective or even off table and for most u can get a cheap transpot

[Mythweaver]

In regard to buildings and tank shock, since buildings are difficult terrain I think you just make a check. If you fail you stop...

D'Narb has used Sensor Spines on a Devil Fish to tank shock me in ruins etc... with impunity.

[thesanityassassin]

There are RUINS which you can tank shock into.....Buildings are basically treated as another "vehicle" with armour values and the like.

Very few people seem to play with intact buildings, and I'm unsure if you could actually put an objective IN one, though it would be quite handy if you could.

[Mythweaver]

True enough, I have never played with an actual building on the board...so I guess I just grouped ruins and buildings in the same catergory.

As I've said before, I'm just a newb.

[Jack Shrapnel]

I think I've gotten an idea for a tactics thread

[qwertywraith]

Death or Glory. Those 5th+ turn attacks get more dangerous when you have a meltagun in the squad (and hanging on to a combi-melta for that eventuality is a good idea). Automatically hitting means you just have to roll a 5 or better on 2D6 to penetrate the falcon. I think, technically, it wouldn't get an obscured save. This leaves you with the holo-field and a +1 to penetrate and a 3 or higher will immobilise the tank. Not bad odds.

Ringing falcons with squads (though hard) can give you more death or glory shots as the tank must tank shock to move through your units.