Assault Cannon v Lascannon v Multi-melta: Statistical Analysis
4th Edtion
Note: written in 4th edition so needs an update to reflect the current game edtion.
Deciding whether to take an assault cannon or a twin-linked lascannon on your Dread could mean the difference between destroying enemy vehicles or them destroying you. Thanks to Brother Ezzeran for working out the statistics to help you make the choice.
I set up a spreadsheet to try and figure the relative statistical merits of the TLLC versus the AC. This is a somewhat more complicated task than it seems, due to the number of differences between the way the two work (twin-linking, special rules, etc.). What I tried to determine was the a Dread would have of getting a penetrating hit against various armoured vehicles with each weapon. The basic formula I used was:
(Chance to Hit) x (Chance to Penetrate) x (Number of Shots)
My own findings were that at best the assault cannon was approximatly equal to the twin-Linked lascannon, but with only half the range. At no point was it better, and against certain armour values it was quite a bit worse.
Now, this doesn't make the assault cannon a bad choice against vehicles, but not a no-brainer choice if anti-tank is what you are looking for. The multiple shots and rending rule almost certainly make it a better choice against infantry so I think the flexibility of the AC still make it a good choice for close support (where anti-personnel capability can be important as anti-tank capability) but if you are looking for pure anti-tank support the twin-Linked lascannon still seems the better way to go.
Assault Cannon
vs AV10 = 63.4% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV11 = 37.6% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV12 = 37.6% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs Av13 = 32.2% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV14 = 26.5% chance of at least one penetrating hit
Tank Hunter Assault Cannon
vs AV10 = 80.2% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV11 = 63.4% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV12 = 37.6% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs Av13 = 37.6% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV14 = 32.2% chance of at least one penetrating hit
Lascannon
vs AV10 = 55.6% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV11 = 44.4% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV12 = 33.3% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV13 = 22.2% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV14 = 11.1% chance of at least one penetrating hit
Twin-linked Lascannon
vs AV10 = 74.1% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV11 = 59.3% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV12 = 44.4% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV13 = 29.6% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV14 = 14.8% chance of at least one penetrating hit
Tank Hunter Lascannon
vs AV10 = 66.7% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV11 = 55.6% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV12 = 44.4% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV13 = 33.3% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV14 = 22.2% chance of at least one penetrating hit
Tank Hunter Twin-linked Lascannon
vs AV10 = 88.9% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV11 = 74.1% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV12 = 59.3% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV13 = 44.4% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV14 = 29.6% chance of at least one penetrating hit
Multimelta at 24"
vs AV10 = 55.5% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV11 = 44.4% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV12 = 33.3% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV13 = 22.2% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV14 = 11.1% chance of at least one penetrating hit
Multimelta at 12"
vs AV10 = 67.0% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV11 = 64.8% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV12 = 61.1% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV13 = 55.6% chance of at least one penetrating hit
vs AV14 = 48.1% chance of at least one penetrating hit
Conclusion
So with all those numbers, here's my analysis (hopefully everyone can understand my abreviations):
Ranked in order of effectivness:
vs AV10 = THTLLC, THAC, TLLC, THLC, MM12, AC, LC, MM24
vs AV11 = THTLLC, THAC, MM12, TLLC, THLC, LC, AC, MM24
vs AV12 = THTLLC, MM12, THLC, TLLC, AC, THAC, LC, MM24
vs AV13 = MM12, THTLLC, THAC, THLC, AC, TLLC, LC, MM24
vs AV14 = MM12, THAC, THTLLC, AC, THLC, TLLC, LC, MM24
Now, I apologize for how long and messy that is. But that's just for penetrating hits. Actual damaging hits you get slightly different results, but, without going into all that math rigamarol, the consenus was that the only way to beat out the assault cannon was to have a twin-Linked lascannon with Tank Hunters. That makes for a very expensive dread.
Of course, beyond 24" the point is rather moot. You pays yer money and makes yer choices.
Ezz
