So I know the Taurox is considered to be the red headed stepchild of the Chimera. And while I don't think it is that great looking, it certainly looks better with a good paint job. It really is not as bad, at least rules wise as some are making it out to be. It is cheaper and that is obvious, but there is one big thing that no one has mentioned that I think is something to seriously consider when choosing your dedicated transports.
And it's side doors. It may be a small thing but I will demonstrate why that is not as small as it may seem. The taurox and prime have side doors, which is something the venerable chimera lacks. So it may have weaker armor and a few less guys riding in it, but those guys have far more flexibility when dismounting. Here I will show you.
So there you are, the difference between disembarking from a taurox and a chimera. Note I was not trying to maximize spacing, just get the troops out with their allowed movement range. The Taurox can really project your guys out there and when you start playing with facings, you have a lot of flexibilty. Even though the FA is only 11, keeping that facing to incoming fire is still crucial. Having side doors means you can still face your taurox towards fire and still get your guys onto their objective.
It may not seem like much but this is a game of inches, where 4 inches means you are out of range of an objective but 3 and your in. Its that critical one inch that gets you into rapid fire range or not, or half for a melta shot. The point is, pay attention to the details and figure out how to maximize effectiveness. The Taurox may be ugly, but it is not crap. Its another tool in your belt and be glad for it.
On another note, Ulfast requested to see the Taurox and storm trooper side by side so here your go ;).
I'm still working on the rest of my scions, they are taking longer than expected. Hope to have them finished before my other two Taurox's get here. I plan on loading them out with missiles and testing them out. They may be ugly and weak, but they can move and shoot and thats enough for me. Hope this is helpful.
BTW I recommend looking on ebay for Taurox's, you can find then for ten bucks cheaper and free shipping is pretty common.
GG
If, that is, they survive to deploy their troops. AV11, as any SM player knows, doesn't actually stop.... well, anything. (and AV 10 sides are really just there for show...)
ReplyDeleteThanks for another intersting post and great pictures :) They look awesome together.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point on the access points. I'm not sold on the actual model so some scratch-building may be in order.
ReplyDeleteif you don't need the chimera after delivering troops just spin it on the spot after moving. The rear door becomes a front door.
DeleteTrue, but a chimera is only marginally more survivable, it still has the same weakness with side armor ten and FA 12 is good but not great. Wave serpents will eat both apart unless you can hide them out of LoS. The Taurox will most likely die, but get your movement out of it before hand and with enough of them you can get what you need onto objectives.
ReplyDeleteScratch building is a good option, there is a lot of military models, especiall german WW2 that fit the bill and with some kit bashing would look really good as Tauroxes
As far as looks, yes.. its not a pretty model but recall its a Brit game.. they grew up seeing this on the tele during "the troubles"
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humber_Pig
lol, too true
DeleteFor those like myself who hate the Taurox model, (the more I see of it, the less I like it), Wait for a while and use Dreamforges APC.
ReplyDeleteHowever a nice paint job on your model, much better than that 'Oxygen Starved Blue'.
Another note on the Taurox... well, the Taurox Prime that is. Given its Fast Vehicle status, it can not only get accross the board quickly to deliver its payload of troops (i.e. 12" move + 12" Flat Out, good for late game dashes to on turn 4-5 to jump out on turn 5-6 and get objectives), but with the right load-out you can use it as a long range, mobile fire support platform. As some have noted in other forums, Taurox Prime with MLs and Autocannon is basically a slightly more costly Land Speeder Typhoon with TLed Autocannon (instead of HB) and AV11 front armor/3 HPs. The extra cost and the loss of Jink save is a bit of drawback, but if you employ it like a LS Typhoon and dance around 12" a turn and plink the enemy at 48" with your long range missile/AC combo, you can really do some damage over the course of a game and still be available on turn 4,5, or 6 to dart forward and seize objectives or drop Scions off to blast someone off an objective.
ReplyDeleteOh yes. It is a great skirmisher vehicle that can shoot and hide and move fast when needed to. Im going to build two ML versions, they can shoot far and with TL ACs you still can move a full 12 and get good shooting at it. A large number of these will put out a lot of shots and can deal with infantry and reliably kill anything short of AV14. Another option is to use it as a drive by skirmisher. It pops out behind LoS cover, the guys inside fire two shots, it then goes flat out back behind cover.
DeleteExcellent point with the side doors.
ReplyDeleteAs my army fancies flamers, this indeed means quite a lot, and flamers in APCs didn't seem viable up to now.
The lower FA is not a real concern for my part.
If you want to kill a chimera, you can do that anyway, the only tricky part is to kill half-a-dozen or more.
With the Taurox, the Non-Prime version is pretty cheap and trades the chimera's primary multilaser and snap-firing secondary weapon for a slightly more powerful primary gun, that's okay.
It costs less, so you can simply field more.
Funny with LoS shenanigans, the higher model of the Taurox could mean you just place it behind a Chimera/LR, and the turret can still get clean LoS to the target.
But most of the Taurox is invisible behind the other vehicle, so either the opponent chews up the stronger tank, or the Taurox gets insane cover bonus to waste firepower at.
As for the model, the size comes pretty close to my LandSpeeder Storm jeep conversion, so that would be a possibility.
Though probably I'll convert it to either an open-topped version or build a (Tiberian Sun era) Nod subterranean APC.
The detailed interior is amazing, you can do whatever you like with this model, contrary to the chimera.
As for alternative models, the Dreamforge APC would be a possibility, or its (widely as a model available) WW2 inspiration, the SdKfz 251.
You can also try the Rhebok APC, from Ramshackle games.
ReplyDeleteIt's made of resin, has a lot of options for weapons wich allow you to make it a prime or normal Taurox, and the tracked one has side doors.
And you can take the dozer blade to represent its dangerous terrain reroll.
Looks SOOOOO much better with wheels:
ReplyDeletehttp://bluewarpstudios.blogspot.com/2014/04/how-cool-is-these-taurox-conversion-set.html
Servicious, the Disgruntled Dark Eldar
nice, agreed!
DeleteOther Options (becuse at $50 for codex I am not paying gw any more than I have too.. and the model is not all that pretty!)
ReplyDeleteRevell of germany Dingo.
http://manuals.hobbico.com/rvl/80-3233.pdf
about $25
BTR-80A
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/zve/zve3560.htm?source=froogle&gclid=CPbawvfL5b0CFZRr7AodJnYAMw
M706
http://www.squadron.com/1-35-HobbyBoss-M706-Commando-Car-Product-Improved-p/hy82419.htm
.. in my looking i found this... its not usable as a taurox.. but darn it looks like 40k !
ReplyDeleteHobbyBoss EBR-11
http://www.network54.com/Forum/110741/thread/1373134031/EBR-10,+1-35+HobbyBoss
Tried it out today with a proxy.
ReplyDeleteAs long as I had chimeras left, it was quite funny, just park it behind one and blast over it.
Return fire will be eaten by cover saves, and the AC can always find something useful to do.
On a different topic, my bigger test game against Eldar was promising.
The new orders and 1-2 Psykers for rerolls are brutal, but it sucks when the commander dies.
Only afterwards I found out, the commander doesn't need a LOS to the enemy any more, for none of the orders!!!
Usually "Bring it down!" and a few others required LOS to the target, exposing the commander and killing him sooner or later, even with advisors/camo/carapace/medic.
Now the addons are cheaper, and the commander himself can spend the entire fight behind a big fat wall...
Yeah orders are great now, just tell the squad what you want them to do and they do it. I like to bring two CCS to back up my orders, but with PCS's being better I'll see if that is really needed.
DeleteYeah there are a lot of fun things to do with Tauroxes, and if the chimera is just wrecked, you can still use it for cover.
I have found a solution to many problems people have.
ReplyDeletehttp://theimperialpatrol.blogspot.co.nz/2014/04/taurox-half-track-conversion-kit.html
The half track conversion kit about to be released. Looks promising, although I like four tracks on my truck.
Good ol' Victoria Miniatures, they are great for conversion bitz, especially if you're a sap like me who fell in love with the Praetorians.
DeleteNice idea Jayden. but still the Turox is just ugly... not that the Russ is a thing of beauty either ;)
ReplyDeletehaha, an improvement at least though huh? But yea just thought id throw out some ideas whilst everyone else is. :P
DeleteYou are wrong- it is the worse GW vehicle since that ridiculous chaos lord of skulls or whatever it was.
ReplyDeleteI have actually bought the taurox thinking that it would not be as bad when I saw it up close- more fool me.
Gonna use some of the kit to create something that does not look like an 8 yr old designed it.
Just a stupid mish mash of ideas designed by someone who tried had to make it look different- when all that was required was a simple transport vehicle, that actually looked like it was for military use instead of being something that wouldn't look out of place at the head of a circus parade.
My guess is that the "designers" at GW are trying to make our old IG look more like the Imperials from the fantasy game. Blocky vehicle with crests all over it, plus the STroopers with their steampunky looking breastplates. A lot of the folks at my local hobby shop are saying they're taking a pass on this edition, it'll be interesting to see if enough people feel that way what GW will do, or those players could just be saying that and buy 7th anyway.
DeleteMaybe its the only Orky Truck adopted by the Adepts of Mars ;)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteno wonder GW is going bankrupt. That truck is terrible.
ReplyDeleteAlways use chimeras. It can fire at 3 different targets, 12armor is actually better than most armies, two models fire out top, and you can give orders. The chimera is very OP for 65 points. 3 las guns fire left at their own target, same with the right, two guard with special weapons fire out the hatch, and then the chimera has two free heavy weapons fire out front.
ReplyDeleteA secret, go inquisition and you get a chimera for 50points. Really, just fifty, AND four crew can fire out the hatch. Really!
Tautog is worse than chimera in every way.