Thunderfire Cannon

[Osiris]

Title says it all...Thunderfire Cannon. Would you include it in your army?
Ally or otherwise?
Why would you include it in your army?

Also, I know vanilla marines can, but are they the only ones that can? Some clarification on that would be good.


At my local store, the owner has 6 TF Cannons for sale (pricey as hell, 55 USD for a cannon...), and I was hoping, based on the comments provided, that it would help me get an idea/understanding of the use of the cannon, and if it would deter people from playing the game with you, or even if it was worth its cost in points.

Thanks!

[The Man They Call Jayne]

In the six/seven years I have been playing 40k, I have seen a thunderfire cannon used once. Personally I kinda like it, 4 Small Blasts is nothing to sneeze at in any situation. But all things considered, you can get more firepower elsewhere that is either more mobile or more survivable.

[Naser Al-Istikhara Cyrus]

it's ridiculously good for its points cost, but it's a glass cannon. The trick is to make your opponent shoot at everything else. If it's targeted early it will die very quickly.

Good tactics is to put in a ruin with bolster defenses from the techmarine to prolong its survivability for a little longer

[Saulus]

it's ridiculously good for its points cost, but it's a glass cannon. The trick is to make your opponent shoot at everything else. If it's targeted early it will die very quickly.

Good tactics is to put in a ruin with bolster defenses from the techmarine to prolong its survivability for a little longer

As well, having some scouts to intercept/babysit the cannon in the event of assault troops comes in handy, especially with camo cloaks with the bolstered defenses. I know this only because my vanguard took the thing out no problem, and my opponent went "doh, should have kept scouts there as a buffer!"

[Jonagon]

I have one!

Exactly as people said, it was a glass cannon in 5th, once people figured out what it was gonna do (after first round of shooting!) it was quickly dealt with. I got the idea that artillary became more survivable in 6th though?

Not tried it in 6th myself though.

[Chicop76]

I seen it used pretty well. In this edition since the canon can easily get a cover save. With a tech marine in the army you can bolster a +4 cover save making it a 3+.

It is pretty annoyin.  Fought against it a few times and at the time I was heavily into outflanking which I would tie the unit up or kill it.

[Osiris]

i have looked through the posts, and must say that i did not realize how fragile it was. i had it in my mind that it was a bit more sturdy than what i have been reading.

i noticed some of you stated that scouts with camo and rifles would be good to use as a defense force/support for the cannon, would a combat squad be just as useful or any unit? im just trying to pick all your minds about this. because scouts, though small can hold objectives quite effectively, and arent super slow either. hence the question if it would be as effective or more effective of using another unit to be in support of the cannon.

this also leads me to another question, can i use the cannon to hold an objective? sounds stupid, i know.

all your answers have been helpful so far. thanks again!

i havent tried the 6th edition yet either, its also one reason im stripping/painting/building my BA army again. and if i cant run that cannon with it, i may just run a smaller version of my imperial firsts army (i think my IF can use the cannon).

[Arguleon-veq]

Its not as fragile as it was, T7 2 Wounds, 3+ Save, usually a 3/4+ Cover, a Techmarine with a 2+ Save that can use the guns toughness. Now I can't remember if the thunderfire techmarine can have servitors? If it can its really survivable.

It can only score in big guns never tIre.

It puts out some nice infantry smashing firepower which is needed these days. I think the problem with it though is that its so far away from something marines would almost ever get to use. Looks awesome though!

[Chicop76]

Its not as fragile as it was, T7 2 Wounds, 3+ Save, usually a 3/4+ Cover, a Techmarine with a 2+ Save that can use the guns toughness. Now I can't remember if the thunderfire techmarine can have servitors? If it can its really survivable.

It can only score in big guns never tIre.

It puts out some nice infantry smashing firepower which is needed these days. I think the problem with it though is that its so far away from something marines would almost ever get to use. Looks awesome though!

No just a basic techie. Although I have to re look if it can indirect or not. If it can indirect than it is a muc better unit in this edition.

[Charistoph]

Its not as fragile as it was, T7 2 Wounds, 3+ Save, usually a 3/4+ Cover, a Techmarine with a 2+ Save that can use the guns toughness. Now I can't remember if the thunderfire techmarine can have servitors? If it can its really survivable.

It can only score in big guns never tIre.

It puts out some nice infantry smashing firepower which is needed these days. I think the problem with it though is that its so far away from something marines would almost ever get to use. Looks awesome though!

No just a basic techie. Although I have to re look if it can indirect or not. If it can indirect than it is a muc better unit in this edition.

It used to, but the Amendments may have changed it, depending on how you read Techmarine.

[Osiris]

thanks for the replies. ive decided that i would get one, just not sure when i would be doing it.

[Narric]

Simply enough, the model doesn't interest me. vand from memory, one of the Ammunition types didn't make any sense. Comparing it to the eldar Heavy Support Platform (I'm guessing that name) it basically a Marine-ification. The Eldar version made sense becuase it used directed vibrations, which despite being still unbelieveable, it is still move so than a Shell being fired into the ground and causing an earthquake a stones throw away. You might as well have used similar shells to an Earthshaker.

I'd say to look at its unit entry, and try and see if you can do a betterjob from a different unit, or look at the mini, and decide if its fits with th rest of your army. Or even look at the fluff of your army, and see if it fits there. Or all three. Just make sure you're 100% sure you're going to use it, otherwise its wasted resin and painting time.

[Chicop76]

Buying one to add to a collection is not bad. I have a griffon and bane wolf I rarely use now, but throw it out there for varity.

Last I looked the cannon is very good against infantry. The only problem in 5th was is was very easy to kill or deal with. In this edition it is more durable. Also indirect fire is really good. Not saying it can indirect like a whirlwind. Just saying if it can it wuld make it very good.

Even without indirect fire it is very good against infantry which helps against armies that have 50 an guard squads.

[Osiris]

i was thinking to toss it with my Imperial Fists and playing a planetstrike game as a defender. the thunderfire cannon could, in my opinion, work very well in hte fluff for Imperial Fists.

i was hoping to run it in an area that allows for a better cover save, and hopefully prevent flanking moves by keeping something behind to defend it.

[InsaneTD]

Simply enough, the model doesn't interest me. vand from memory, one of the Ammunition types didn't make any sense. Comparing it to the eldar Heavy Support Platform (I'm guessing that name) it basically a Marine-ification. The Eldar version made sense becuase it used directed vibrations, which despite being still unbelieveable, it is still move so than a Shell being fired into the ground and causing an earthquake a stones throw away. You might as well have used similar shells to an Earthshaker.

I'd say to look at its unit entry, and try and see if you can do a betterjob from a different unit, or look at the mini, and decide if its fits with th rest of your army. Or even look at the fluff of your army, and see if it fits there. Or all three. Just make sure you're 100% sure you're going to use it, otherwise its wasted resin and painting time.

There are actually a few Imperial things that drill to their target. One is basically platoon APC. The idea is that they go under city/base/portable shielding, rather then pounding through them which takes time and can cause lots of collateral damage when they do fail.