40K: Space Marine Vindicator Tactica
Fritz here, bringing the vindication back to the Vindicator…
Next to the Land Raider is there a more iconic Space Marine tank? On paper the Vindicator is an attractive heavy support choice bringing the triple threat of reasonable point cost, big template gun, and strong front armor.
Unfortunately for most new players to the hobby this tank quickly becomes a disappointment along with being dismissed by many of the veterans in the hobby. Here are some ideas to get that Vindicator back onto the table…
The first thing to realize is that the huge cannon on the front is both an asset and liability. Sure you are dropping those templates, but a single weapon destroyed suddenly neuters your tank- unlike the Predator or Land Raider which have other guns to keep laying down the firepower.
Immobilization if also a problem given the range of the gun, and if this can’t be done stunning/shaking the tank so it can’t shoot will but you another turn of safety.
With the Vindicator you can’t get so pumped up that you move it out to meet your opponent and start dropping templates- it will never make it there, even with a screen of other vehicles helping it out. This is one of the reasons fast moving Blood Angel Vindicators never panned out. Forget the fluff of a lone Vindi rolling up and blasting open a wall so your assault troops can pour in…its just not going to happen.
Shifting over on the defensive role is where the Vindicator really shines and earns it points. To maximize its effectiveness you need to have a cover save going, and force your opponent to bunch up under that template.
Question is, how to make this happen? As always when you want to get your opponent to do something it is best done through objective placement- influencing the flow of the game without them even knowing it…
Example:
Capture and Control missions. After taking sides when it comes time to place your objective what is the plan? Some players like to place it back as far as they can in the corner of their deployment zone so their opponent has the maximum distance to travel to get the objective. With a Vindicator or two in play, you actually want to place the objective out of cover about 8”-12” past where you are going to set up the Vindicator- which is going to be set up in/behind a terrain feature to get a cover save.
So now you have the tank in cover and in position to rain down on that objective out in the open…
But we may have to take things a bit further depending on what is in your opponent’s list. For the first few turns of the game nothing will be in range to drop the template on, and if you are facing an army that can push out the standard 15+ krak missiles and 6+ las cannons a turn then reserving the Vindicator is a better option. Spend a few turns whittling down your opponent, and then when the Vindi rolls on it goes straight into terrain.
The final piece of the puzzle is dealing with mech- you are going to need another unit working with the Vindi to set up things on your objective. Something to crack open vehicles, spilling out those troops inside nice and clustered, and THEN you drop the template.
