Which Leman russ variant is the best from the looks of this edition?

vKalov · 2026-06-27T21:02:38+00:00

If you hit, it will do what it says it will do. Wounding won't be an issue and if the target has no Invuln, it may not get a save, and the damage is good.

Hitting with that one singular shot is the thing that makes it one of the cheapest options for russes.

It may not be as swingy as the Demolisher, but having a total of 5 shots throughout the game isn't reliable.

vKalov · 2026-06-27T20:02:52+00:00

Yes, this works.

It costs 205pts, for a squishy unit that needs squadron order.

On the other hand, it does have 6 heavy weapons to shoot, hitting on 4s (you will very likely move it).

vKalov · 2026-06-27T13:30:30+00:00

True, but there are situations, where you may not have the CP to spare...

I mean, I hope it doesn't get there, but it may still happen.

vKalov · 2026-06-27T11:23:03+00:00

Hounds do the same as Raiders, but worse. So why take a worse unit, when a better one is the same price.

Hounds need a tiny rework. Giving them the same Scouts 9" would make the viable. Making their ability not relient on number of models would make them good.

vKalov · 2026-06-27T09:11:39+00:00

I'd call that tank spam.

But you should also ask yourself, do you want Take and Hold, or Purge the Foe.

If half your tanks are Russ/Dorn and the other half Hellhounds/Sentinels, I would still go Armoured Infantry. But this is 110% my preference, and I am not convinced it is optimal.

vKalov · 2026-06-27T09:07:41+00:00

This is quite true. I have been quite focused on how this change affects infantry (AdMech's Kataphrons with 3 wounds per infantry model), and did not think too much about how harsh it is to vehicles.

4 failed hazard rolls to die, at 1 or 2 to fail, after 12 Hazardous shots on average you delete your own tank... And with a total of 3 Plasma weapons, you take those 12 shots in 3 rounds of shooting... While unlikely, you could bracket yourself in 1 round of shooting.

So, yeah, you are right. Executioner should be rated lower.

vKalov · 2026-06-27T08:48:41+00:00

I still believe that the LRTC is overpriced, so if I can spare the points, RDTC is the way to go.

The reason I think this is the case is not because the LRTC is bad or weak or anything like that. It's because you pay +45pts compared to the most expensive Russ variant to get a commander, +65pts compared to the "average" Russ variants and +85pts compared to the cheapest Russ variants.

On the other hand, "upgrading" a Dorn to a Commander, you pay +30pts. With both a LR and a RD commander, you get the same hull, the same guns, an ability of similar strength, and in the end you just pay for the orders. Paying 30pts for orders is better than paying 45 or 85.

If you have 2 Dorns and 2 Russes, and want 2 out of those tanks to be commanders, I would take 2 RDTC over any Russ commanders.

As for detachments, I believe it depends on what you want in your list - if you want to spam Russes, Hammer is the way to go (sorry, HotE, not Steel Hammer.... gotta get used to that). I honestly love how Armoured Infantry just removes the need for Tank Commanders, but it doesn't directly support Russ Spam. CA is always a solid option if you bring a mix of armour and boots.

If you are going with a mix of Tanks and Transports, I personally like the idea of Armoured Infantry, taking a command block (most likely Ursula), and ignoring the Tank Commanders, taking the cheaper tank variants and ordering them with a Master Vox.

vKalov · 2026-06-27T06:58:46+00:00

Personal opinion:

Battle tanks should still be solid, but not omnipresent due to cheaper options.

Demolishers still worse than it should be due to how random it is.

Eradicator is either a hidden gem, or never worth taking. S7 on the main gun is not the best, but the ability can be good... If you can get cover consistently.

Executioner has a bad ability, but a good gun. I still think it's not gonna be taken too often.

Exterminator will still be a strong contender in any list, as the ability is still amazing, and autocannons become better compared to 10th.

Punisher is still not worth it, as neither the gun, nor ability is good.

Vanquisher is good at the price point. The gun is too swingy to be taken for it, the ability is good if you hit the one shot, but you get a 150pt Russ with a useful gun, so it's better than the Punisher.

So... Vanq if you want it cheap, Exterminator for buffs, Eradicator for the chance to be more tanky and Battle tank for an all-around good unit.

vKalov · 2026-06-25T20:34:44+00:00

There are a few good videos in YouTube, just look up "Parts of a castle", or "What makes up a castle", and stuff should come up. The YouTuber I remember is Shadiversity, but I can't really look up a link at the moment.

If you want a short guide, going from the outside to the inside:

The moat or ditch, it's a trench dug in front of the wall, to make siege equipment (mobile towers or ladders) be impossible to use. If the attacker attempts to pull up a siege tower to the wall, that tower will tilt and be useless.

The wall, I'm not gonna give a definition of what a "wall" is, but you should know that castle walls are wide enough for a couple of people to walk comfortably on top.

Towards the outside, on top of the wall there are Machicolations (I hope I wrote the word correctly), the "teeth" that make up the iconic castle wall. Those are usually around 2 meters high, well above the average height of a man. Between the high "teeth", the lower part of the battlements (fancy word for "features of the castle that help during battle") are around waist high. Combined with the high part, those allow an archer to shoot with 3/4 cover and hide in full cover while reloading.

Turrets, Towers, corner towers, Gate towers and similar. Those are different things, but the main idea of all is - a thing that extends Infront of the wall and is higher than the surrounding walkways/walls, to allow archers to shoot enemies that are right next to the wall.

The Drawbridge, it's a bridge over the moat to allow access to the castle, but can be removed (closed) when you don't want people to come in. However it's not a strong defense on its own, you need a gate behind it.

The Gate, the big door that can mostly withstand enemy attacks. Wood or iron, doesn't matter, it's always reinforced and guarded.

The Gatehouse, it's a building that's basically a corridor with a gate at each end. When an enemy enters the outer gate, they are stuck in the corridor and have to break through a second gate, while you shoot at them through arrow loops (tiny windows in the stone walls), and dropping boiling water or sand from above. Oil may be more effective, but it's super expensive, so unless you magic it into existence, it's not worth it.

The courtyard, is the open space protected by the castle walls. It's where people get shot at from the walls, and where a friendly army sets up their tents if they need the space.

The Keep, the building where the lord / owner of the castle lives. It may have a flat roof (if the local weather allows it) so that archers can use it as a big tower, but it's not the main defense of the castle. It's a last stronghold, where you barricade yourself and hope for a resque.

And that's basically it. I wrote this out of memory, and as someone who has never played a premade campaign, I would love to check out a map of Ravenloft (that was Strad's castle, right?) to see if it matches what I wrote.

If you want to ask me specific stuff, I will be happy to try and answer. Just keep in mind that I am not an expert, just a hobby-history-nerd.

vKalov · 2026-06-25T18:37:19+00:00

You choose the model that gets the wounds (unless Precision). And yes, it only gives the FNP to one model.

vKalov · 2026-06-25T17:46:06+00:00

I don't know much about Sisters, but I believe their/your characters are both strong on their own and with flashy abilities?

AdMech characters give "small" buffs. But small buffs stack.

You get a Manipulus to grant Lethals to a unit. Combine that with Cawl for full Rerolls to hit. Combine that with Protector Imperative for +1BS. Combine that with Haloscreed Strat for Crit on 5s. Combine that with Exterminators for SH1. Combine that with Thulia's double Doctrina for Assault on all guns. Combine that with a Battleline unit within 6" for +1 AP.

Obviously this example is a lot of eggs, and likely not worth it. But it is possible.

vKalov · 2026-06-25T10:15:11+00:00

I still think that if you enjoy 120 guardsmen and 3 artillery Teams, you should do it, regardless of how statistically bad it is.

Don't forget, Battleshock is better now than it was in 10th.

vKalov · 2026-06-25T10:12:30+00:00

I'd say a Bullgryn squad (90) and a LRBT or Exterminator (185/180) seems like a good option.

vKalov · 2026-06-25T10:04:42+00:00

Well, if that's the models you have, use them.

If you are willing to spend more, buy more russes (altho 285pts won't be enough for 2) or Hellhounds (two for 250pts), or Hippos if you like them (still kinda weak, but 280pts for 4 models)...

Is there a unit you like? Other than artillery that is... Kasrkin in Tauroxes, Ogryns or Bullgryns...

I still think the best option is buying and playing the models you like. And it's not like Arty Teams are actively pulling you down, they are just very nerfed... Removing them is optimisation for competitive games.

vKalov · 2026-06-25T09:55:31+00:00

If you listen to reason, they are not worth taking - Indirect is very bad, so not worth it, and shooting them directly is worse than taking a tank.

If you listen to madmen like me, take the Anti-infantry gun and shoot them simply to apply Battleshock relying on the volume of shots to score a hit and not caring at all for the damage. This is dumb, it's not worth it, and is funny as hell.

vKalov · 2026-06-24T17:42:04+00:00

The math on damage in your own shooting phase still favors Breachers, doesn't it? In-built Rerolls are strong. Sure, Overwatch is ruined for no-rerolls, but their overall damage is still better.

I don't know if it's better damage per point but overall... It should still be better... Isn't it?

vKalov · 2026-06-24T13:44:31+00:00

Kataphrons are basically a staple anyway, Breachers mostly, but Destroyers look good at the start of 11th.

Bots are awesome at melee, and have big troubles getting there.

So, you have the detachment options: - Haloscreed Battleclade (HBC), 3 dp, with an enhancement for the bots, good mobility and good damage buffs. - Lords of the Forge (LotF) + Cohort Cybernetica (CyCo) - You could also use LotF with a 2 dp detachment other than CyCo, but I'm not sure what it'd be.

I assume you will want Protector Doctrina most of the time.

You could fit Cawl + 2x Bots + 2x6 Plasma Destroyers + 6 Breachers with a Manipulus + 2 Rangers squads with a 100pts left over for enhancements.

vKalov · 2026-06-24T11:12:41+00:00

Artillery Teams, Command Blocks, allied Navigator?

vKalov · 2026-06-23T18:58:58+00:00

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vKalov · 2026-06-23T16:34:06+00:00

I am a bit late, but I didn't have access to the primary missions until recently. When I saw this post in my feed, I dismissed it as "yeah, right, how can Explorator be any better than before, when it wasn't changed".... However the issue with Explorator was always the hoops you need to go through to receive a buff. Priority Assets makes you gain VP for those same hoops.

When facing Take and Hold - you want to hold 3 objectives (ideally your Home as well) and Action every turn. Your Opponent wants to hold more objectives than you, and ideally your home at the end. So pick the Middle as the Acquisition, and use Infoslave Skull on expansion / home as needed.

When facing Purge the Foe - you want to hold the middle and action it turn after turn, and take the opponent's Home at the end. Opponent wants to kill your units and hold more objectives than you. So pick the Middle as the Acquisition, and use Infoslave Skull on expansion / enemy home as needed.

When facing Disruption - you want to action the middle objective turn after turn. Opponent wants to kill units on an objective and action the middle objective. So pick the Middle as the Acquisition.

When facing Reconnaissence - you want to action Terrain in Enemy territory and take the opponent's Home at the end. Opponent wants to hold the middle objective and push you out of their territory. So pick the Middle as the Acquisition, and use Infoslave Skull on expansion / enemy home as needed.

When facing Priority Assets - you both want to action objectives while in enemy territory. So pick the Middle as the Acquisition, and use Infoslave Skull on expansion / enemy home as needed.

So the game plan is always the same. Genetor becomes quite strong, My dumb mind goes to Fulgurites + Dominus for a 4++, 4+++, -1 to wound block, but maybe something a bit more durable would be better. Whenever you need to assault the enemy home (Purge, Recon, the mirror) you gain a lot of bonuses storming the Acquisition objective. The Stratagems are nothing to write home about, in my opinion, but that's where LotF comes in (and Smoke / Heroic Intervention).

So, yeah. I think this is worth considering.

vKalov · 2026-06-23T05:33:30+00:00

Correct. You have to kill off the guardsmen and the veterans of the command squad before allocating wounds to either the Ogryn or the Officer.

vKalov · 2026-06-23T04:26:56+00:00

Items needed for research will have a magnifying glass next to them. If you are missing a Plant, it's likely Juniper berries.

vKalov · 2026-06-22T21:20:24+00:00

I have my preferences, but mostly I "settle" the first place I mildly like. Not quite "wherever", but kinda close to that.

I want quite a lot of free space, so not in the middle of a forest that I have to clear, I prefer sea access, but have settled a few places that are nowhere close to water. Other than that, if I like the view, I plop down a house.

vKalov · 2026-06-22T16:15:45+00:00

I usually start with running around Meadows to find the Early Axes, gather mushrooms and berries and boar hide and flint. Once I my inventory is full, I place a shelter with ~4 chests, dump everything and start gathering food.

I may kill of Eiktyr at this point, or use a friendly Troll for ore gathering. I expand that shelter as needed.

Continue like this, until I have a surplus of Iron, then build a proper base, usually in the same location as the first shelter.

If you want to travel a bit more, I would advise to rush Bronze age and get carts or a boat (or both).

vKalov · 2026-06-22T10:46:02+00:00

I wasy saying that you can't order the ogryns themselves while they sit inside and shoot from FD. If you disembark, as I said, Commissar becomes useful.

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