Sabre Weapons Platforms - Tarantula - Completed

Approximate Reading Time: 4 minutes

I have wanted some Sabre Weapons Platforms for a long time. But never got the chance to get them when they were available from Forgeworld. Now they are discontinued and only available (rarely) on eBay for a lot of money. Whenever I say Sabre Weapons Platforms I also mean Tarantula Weapons Platforms too – the two are interchangeable from a model standpoint. One is for taking down Aircraft and the other is automated fire vs other targets – in short.

So I turned to a third party, Kromlech, for my Sabre Weapons Platforms. Their Legionary Sentry Gun Battery are perfect! Also available from Element Games in the U.K. I know that the Sabre Weapons Platforms are now in Legends, and that is OK – these are not really tournament units anyway.

Forgeworld Update

It now seems that they are back on Forgeworld. Which is great! But, they had gone when I bought these back in 2019? Oh well, we are here now!

Sabre Weapons Platforms

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Sabre Weapons Platforms Usage

Sabre Weapons Platforms are an anti-flyer weapon, or rather more specifically an air-aircraft weapon. They get +2 to hit vs Aircraft, which sounds amazing, but this is now capped at +1 in 9th Edition. I suspect the extra +1 is to mitigate the -1 that Supersonic Aircraft have. Neat. They also do not get a minus to hit roll against targets without the Aircraft keyword – which is nice.

It can be equipped with a range of heavy weapons;

Twin Lascannon
Twin Heavy Bolter
Twin Autocannon
Twin Heavy Stubbers

The Autocannon or Lascannon versions seem most suited to the task of taking down Aircraft. The Heavy Bolter and Heavy Stubber versions don’t seem to pack the punch required to take on most Aircraft. Mind you, the 2 Damage Heavy Bolter might now be a viable choice for downing enemy Aircraft. I bought these back in 2019, during 8th Edition, back when the Heavy Bolter was a slightly less mean piece of weaponry.

Tarantula Battery Usage

The Tarantula can take a Twin Lascannon or a Twin Heavy Bolter. It can automatically shoot at the nearest visible enemy Infantry or Vehicle unit – you cannot select a more juicy target further away if one of these is closer.

Tarantula Battery

Sabre Weapons Platforms Regiment

I decided to make these all green – to match my Cadians or my Catachans. My original plan was to use them as my Heavy Support choice for my Valhallans, but now 9th Edition has come along and made it harder to include multiple regiments in my armies – this seems like a poor choice. So green, they will be.

My Valhallans will have to wait for something else…

It is pretty hard to get any real or big buffs to these things via Regimental Doctrines. Cadian seems the most logical, for the re-rolling ones to hit if they do not move – as seen as they cannot move – that will be all the time! They do have the <REGIMENT> keyword, so they can get such benefits.

They do have the <VEHICLE> keyword so they can benefit from Jury-Rigger Repairs, although with so few wounds (4) – this ability will be lost on them.

They can hold objectives too, which is useful I guess.

Sabre Weapons Platforms Basing

I used Greenstuff World Sandbags on some of the bases as well as some tiny bricks that I have had for some time.

I had lost the feet for the Lascannons so placed them on the bricks and sandbags instead. Lascannons, shoot out light, light has no mass – therefore placing them precariously on bricks is OK? I thought so too. Glad we agree.