Leman Russ Squadrons

[gwensdad]

I'm having mixed success in the league I'm in right now. I've been fielding a Squadron of 3 Russes (Russi? Russ'?) and found that they either 1) dominate from turn 1 and win me the game or 2) get close assaulted and destroyed by turn 3. Of course, everyone else in the league insists I stop using squadrons completely and take single tanks. So thoughts? I'm thinking for next month either dumping all tanks and going Guard-Horde or taking a second squadron to support the first.
Here's what the squadron is now:

Leman Russ Squadron
Leman Russ 185
+lascannon
+Sponson Heavy flamers
Leman Russ 195
+lascannon
+Sponson Heavy bolters
+Pintol mounted heavy stubber
Leman Russ 200
+Heavy Flamer
+Sponson Plasma Cannon
+Pintol mounted heavy stubber

What I'm thinking when adding a second squadron is 2 of the above LR being joined by a Vanquisher, then the 2nd squadron being a Punisher, one of the above LR, and one other undecided (need to acquire) LR.

[BuFFo]

Wait a second....

Are you using your other two heavy slots up? If you aren't, then why are you taking a squadron? Take one Russ per slot.

[crazyredpraetorian]

......and why would your opponents want you to take the LRBTs a seperate units? If you are putting the hurt on them with a squadron, they won't be happy with them as seperate units.

[gwensdad]

In one instance I took the Vanquisher in 1 slot and the Punisher in another and (with the squadron) was 3. This last series I dumped the Vanquisher and took a Basilisk.

[EmperorEternalXIX]

I bet I know why.

As an SM player I use a full squadron of land speeders. Even with AV10, this unit is very hard to totally neutralize, because of the way you allocate hits. I very often allocate the hits so that the penetrating hits are stacked on one particular vehicle. I am fairly certain this is how the rules work, and I can only imagine how much more effective it would be for LRBT variants. Those things are pretty tough on their own, but with the ability to stack the shots and that many weapons, they might absorb a lot more fire before one of them goes silent.

The only major down side is that you have to level the LR's already-excessive firepower at a single target, which is simply overkill. But then, any general worth his salt is going to avoid the area covered by those tanks like the plague -- no one wants to get shot by that!!!!

[Katie Drake]

If you're going to take more than one Russ in a squadron, never take more than 2. This way you can hide one of the tanks behind cover and have the other sitting right in the open and both vehicles get a cover save.

Really though, Leman Russes should be taken as single model units. It's very rare that you need more than one Russ firing at the same target to wipe it out, especially in the case of any of the variants that have weapons on their turrets that fire blasts.

[RocketRollRebel]

Agreed. Russes in squadrons can go terribly wrong when they get caught in close combat (damn you lichtor!). I leave squadrons to hydras and hellhounds personally. If you are going to take a squad o russes tho I'd take two and keep em cheap with a battle cannon and hull heavy bolter.

[Chumbalaya]

I don't like Russ Squadrons as it lets them get popped by immobilized and susceptible to glancing hits, which is one of the big strengths of AV14, being immune to most weapons.

As for the Russes themselves, sponsons are too expensive and force you to be static, hull lascannons are too expensive and ineffective (hull heavy flamer), and Battle Cannons are too generalist since you can get better weapons anywhere.

[Xas]

Battle Cannons are too generalist since you can get better weapons anywhere.

can you show me a better weapon to equally kill MEQ, hordes and light tanks(transports)?

I like the russ and the hullascannon because it helps with the relative weakness of the battlecanon (only 1 s8 shot against tanks).

[Katie Drake]

As for the Russes themselves, sponsons are too expensive and force you to be static, hull lascannons are too expensive and ineffective (hull heavy flamer), and Battle Cannons are too generalist since you can get better weapons anywhere.

Huh? Sponsons aren't expensive unless you're talking about the heavy flamer ones (God those are awful. I'd personally only take them if they were free). Sponsons also really don't force you to be static. Players are perfectly capable of moving their tanks despite having sponsons - that they choose not to is a weakness on their part, not on the tank's.

Hull lascannons are pretty expensive but they do have their place with some Russ builds. When we're talking about a normal Battle Tank, it's best to leave the lascannon at home and just roll with the heavy bolter.

Battle cannons are anything but too generalist. They're freaking devastating! Sure, they can't reliably deal with AV14 but few things can. Sure, they can't wipe out 2+ armor save protected infantry but again, few things can. The Leman Russ Battle Tank with plasma cannon sponsons is a nightmare on treads to almost anything.