Ever notice how what makes 40k actually 40k has been missing from tabletops for a while now? Chapter Approved has unlocked what that makes this game great.
With Chapter Approved point drops and Vigilus Stratagem support, transports (and vehicles) could be viable units to choose from in the meta again. They are, after all, really what makes 40k, well… 40k. Any game can have duders fighting duders, and sick looking armor suits, but for us, 40k is something more than that…
Games Workshop has been focusing their efforts on making the units that were rarely seen on the table a viable option. Transports like the Repulsor, Drop Pods, and Land Raiders all got a hefty points drop and nobody is complaining. Looking at Vigilus, there were some Stratagems spotted that encourage someone to take transports just because of the potential value.
How Infantry Gets Around in 8th Edition
As of right now, it’s rare that you see a list run any real kind of transport. Sure you could make a case for Ork Battlewagons and a Primaris Repulsor here and there, but for the most part, infantry hasn’t used vehicles to get around.
Most Infantry move across the board with stratagems like Forlorn Fury for Death Company, Psychic powers like Da Jump for Orks, or they just simply stay put and screen a Castellan. In older editions, we would see multiple Rhinos crammed with Marines or even have a few Trukks with Nobz rolling around.
GW might have put a little too high of a cost on transports at the start of 8th edition.
Chapter Approved Brought Transports up to Speed
Looking at some of the major transports that got their points reduced:
Drop Pods: 60pts
Land Raiders (Base cost): 200 pts (Land Raider Redeemer is 180 pts).
Repulsor: 185 pts
Chimera: 60 pts
Chaos Land Raiders: 200 pts
Ghost Ark: 145 pts
Monolith 320 pts
Night Scythe 135 pts
You would occasionally see a couple Chimeras running around in some lists. However, you would hardly ever see a Space Maine list running a Land Raider or Necrons bring a Monolith, for example. Bottom line is that they were way too expensive for what they could achieve.
Now that some transports had 30+ points cut from their cost, we may see lists start to bring them back.
Not only did almost every transport get a chunk of its points reduced. But GW may have also indirectly encouraged people to bring them along with Vigilus support.
Vigilus Update Makes Transports Even More Viable
We’re going to give a few examples of why we may see transports be a real thing once again. Keep in mind, these aren’t the only reasons why.
Let’s start off with the Repulsor and Primaris units. As for right now, the Repulsor serves as the only transport option for any kind of Primaris unit. But that’s fine for what we’re trying to accomplish.
Why You Would Bring a Repulsor #1:
For the strategy in mind, let’s say you’ve got a Repulsor loaded with ten Intercessors. You can hop out in front of an enemy unit (making sure you’re within half range) and popping the Bolt Storm stratagem for 1CP.
Bolt Storm (1CP): Pick a Veteran Intercessors unit from your army armed with auto bolt rifles. If they are within half-range of their target, their weapons automatically hit.
Translation: Hop out of the Repulsor, hose down some unlucky unit with 20 automatically hitting shots, hop back in the ride to rinse and repeat. You would only be able to use the Bolt Storm stratagem as a defensive countermeasure without speed. However, by taking a Repulsor, you’re able to skirt them around the table and be way more offensive with your troops.
Why You Would Bring a Repulsor #2
Instead of keeping the static Ultramarine Gunline strategy in full swing, you can take matters into your own hands. Put Marneus Calgar (aka. Robbie G LITE) in a Repulsor with his guard and barrel them into an enemy position. Your enemy will be forced to deal with him and his guard or else that portion of the map will turn into a Bare Knuckle Boxing ring from hell. Marneus already takes half damage and his Guard can even intercept wounds for him. Keep in mind he only costs 200 pts and will still be offering re-rolls to the Repulsor that dropped him off.
Why you Would Bring a Battlewagon
Battlewagons got a lot of stratagem support here in the last few months. They’re already a fantastic firing platform for Tankbustas or Lootas, but check out a couple other ways to use them more aggressively.
Coming straight out of the Blitz Brigade detachment in Vigilus Defiant:
2CP – Hold on, Boyz! – Use this stratagem during your movement phase, before moving a Blitz Brigade Battlewagon in your army. Pick a friendly <CLAN> Infantry unit wholly within 3″ of that model and remove it from the battlefield. Once the Battlewagon has moved, you may re-deploy the unit of Ork Infantry unit around the Battlewagon within 3″ of it and more than 1″ away from enemy units.
You essentially get a 2CP Da Jump that’s a shorter range. If you already jumped one unit of Boyz in the psychic phase, you’ll be able to slingshot another unit as they hold onto the Battlewagon when it moves.
You’ve also got Boarding Action from the Ork Codex:
- Boarding Action(1CP): Select an enemy vehicle that can’t fly and is within 1″ of a friendly Ork vehicle. Any models embarked on the Ork vehicle can make a single attack against the enemy vehicle.
Slap a squad of Nobs with Power Klaws inside the Battlewagon and let them cut an out-of-position Knight in half. You get to protect your Boyz inside and still do lethal damage with your weapons for just 1CP. Good luck getting these guys to do anything by walking them up the table.
Like we said before, these are just a few of the combos/value moves we’ve noticed with stratagem support in Vigilus to transports. What do you think about transports now that they are cheaper?
What kind will you be running in your list? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials: @RealmbrushPainting
About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
