40K Versus: Land Raider vs Executioner – Main Battle Tank-off
Land Raiders vs The Repulsor Executioner – Who wins?
It’s another case of Classic vs New as we take a look at the Venerable Land Raider, a battlefield tested transport, and the fancy anti-grav Repulsor Executioner. Both of them are big and bulky tanks, but which one is poised to be the next Main Battle Tank you should take?
Space Marine Land Raider
It’s the Big Bread Box of Death we’ve all grown to love. It’s been a mainstay in Codex Space Marines for years and it’s done it’s duty well over the years. We’re taking a look at the base model for this comparison:
Pros
- Cheaper cost (but not by much)
- Lots of other variants
- Greater Transport Capacity
- 2+ Armor Save
Cons
- Doesn’t have Fly
- Few Gun/Shot Total
- Fewer Special Rules
- Classic Marines Only
Primaris Executioner
It’s the new HOVERING Bread Box of Death. The Executioner is aiming to replace the Land Raider/Razorback/Predator all at once – but for now we’re just comparing it to the Land Raider only. How do the stats line up? Take a look:
Pros:
- Has Fly Keyword
- Much more heavy firepower at a longer range
- Difficult to charge (Fly + Repulsor Field)
- Aquilion Optics
Cons
- Slightly more expensive (but not by much)
- Less Transport Capacity
- 3+ Save
- Primaris Marine Only
Thoughts
From a pure stats comparison, these two tanks are pretty close. The Land Raider does have the edge when it comes to armor, but the Executioner brings way more fire power to the tabletop. Even when you pay for the extra upgrades the Executioner still has the lead. However, the Land Raider also has the transport capacity edge.
Now, as a a Main Battle Tank, you kind of have to ask yourself what role do you want your MBT to fill – firepower or transporting units? It’s not that the Land Raider is skimping on the shooting either. And for the main cannon to really shine the Executioner does have to sacrifice some of it’s movement. Then again, in terms of Mobility, the Executioner does have the FLY keyword and that let’s it pull of some major shenanigans.
This would be a pretty easy pick if one had a points cost that was horribly skewed one way or the other. It’s not a huge deciding factor but the Lander does have a slight lead in that department as well. Both of them are also limited to the fact that they can only transport Classic or Primaris marines and not both/either. It really comes down to what type of Marine Army you want to run and what type of tank you’re looking to field. So which one is the Main Battle Tank of the Space Marines?
~It’s a tough one. Which one would you consider your Main Battle Tank?
