Gladiator Tank

"Few Warhammer 40,000 tanks are as iconic or popular as the Predator – a Space Marine attack vehicle that’s provided fire support on tabletops across the galaxy since the days of Rogue Trader. Now, the Primaris Space Marines have a battle tank with the versatility, reliability and firepower of this venerable stalwart of the Chapter armoury – and some brand-new upgrades."

– GeeDubs not so subtly telling the Predator Tanks to go to a retirement home...

The Gladiator Tanks is the Primaris Space Marines new and improved equivalent of the Adeptus Astartes Predator Tank. Primaris players rejoiced as they finally got an armored vehicle with more guns than the Rhino-esque Impulsor (despite being built on its chassis, so it is nearly as fragile, but crucially cannot take the Impulsor's Force Field, nor can it transport anyone, but it did pick up 1T and 1W... at the loss of 4" of movement) without costing a bag of bricks like the Land Raider-esque Repulsor Tank. Like most Primaris vehicles, the Gladiator Tank comes with anti-grav plates to move around with. So far, there are three confirmed variants of the Gladiator Tank.

Gladiator Lancer

The Lancer has a downgraded version of the Repulsor Executioner's Heavy Laser Destroyer, ideal for blasting tanks from far away and two Storm Bolters to take token shots at infantry, with optional additions of an Ironhail Heavy Stubber, Icarus Rocket Pod, and Auto-Launchers.

The tank is T8 with 12 wounds, and a 3+ save, making it somewhat fragile for a tank, with a 10" move, and standard marine BS of 3+. The Lancer Laser Destroyer has 72" range, heavy 2, S 10, AP-3, Dd3+3. It also includes the new, downgraded version of the Aquilon Optics rule, allowing it to add 1 to hit rolls with the laser destroyer. As of the release of the new Codex, it clocks in at 200 points, with each upgrade costing an additional 5.

It seems GW intended this to be a more of a long range dedicated tank destroyer, rather than a tank, as it is fairly fragile, has only 2 storm bolters to supplement its main gun, which has a range of the entire board. Park it somewhere it can see your opponent's tanks/knights/daemon primarch and let it go to work. However, for its cost, it just doesn't do a lot, especially compared to Eradicators (a 200 pt unit gets at least 5 shots, assuming they don't double shoot, however, not really a fair comparison, given they're grossly undercosted, GW nerf pls), or even the Gladiator Valiant (250 pts, 8 good AT shots), with only two shots per turn and a damage ceiling of 12 wounds, assuming you don't miss, don't whiff a wound, your opponent fails their saves, and you roll double 3s for damage. All in all, it doesn't really do a lot for the points, and even if Eradicators are brought in line with everyone else, the Lancer, sadly, just doesn't seem worth it.

Gladiator Valiant

The Valiant is the Predator Annihilator of Gladiator Tanks, albeit short-ranged. It has two sponson multi-meltas and a turreted twin-linked las-talons for close quarters destruction of enemy armor and heavy infantry, plus optional upgrades of an Ironhail Heavy Stubber, Icarus Rocket Pod, and Auto-Launchers, for 5 points each.

The Valiant shares a statline with the Lancer, the only difference is the loadout. Rocking two Multi-Meltas and a Twin Las Talon, it gets 4 S8 AP-3 Dd6 damage, with the new melta rule (+2 damage at half range) and 4 S9 AP-3 Dd6 shots, all at 24" range, for 250 pts base.

Still loses to Eradicators in point for point efficiency, sadly (though, again, its because Eradicators are undercosted), but unlike the Lancer, this one at least tries to compete. For 10 points less, you could have 18 wounds of T5 eradicators with 6 melta rifles (or heavy melta rifles for 270 points), which could double shoot for a total of 12 shots, however, its arguable that the Gladiator's T8 and 10" move might make it an actual contender to take over Eradicators, but I'll leave it to people wiser than me to figure that out. If you want a mid-short range tank destroyer that has enough shots to one-round a knight or put some serious hurt into heavy infantry if it has nothing better to do, I present the Gladiator Valiant.

Gladiator Reaper

The Reaper is the Baal Predator of the family and as such, possess the most Dakka. The tank packs sponson-mounted tempest bolters (which seem to be a set of four Bolt Rifles linked together along the lines of the Land Raider Crusader's Hurricane Bolters) and twin Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannons to erase infantry into a fine red mist.

Compared to its other siblings, the Gladiator Reaper is more of a mid to close-range anti-infantry support tank. Treat this as you will, more to the lines of a Leman Russ Punisher than an MBT. So go in close and let it rip.

Same Statline and upgrades as the other two, The Tempest bolters do exactly what you'd expect from 4 bolters ...excuse me, Bolt Rifles taped together: 30" range Rapid Fire 4, AP-1, D1. Similarly, the Twin Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannons (Jeez, say that 5 times fast), also do exactly what you'd expect, at 30" range, Heavy 24, S6 AP-1 D1. That's roughly enough to kill an MSU primaris squad and easily mulch 15+ lesser infantry model each turn, though you will need 15" range for maximum effectiveness.

Not a ton to say here, it does what it says on the tin. If you have 230 points you want to spend on anti-horde firepower with a T8 12W chassis to boot, try the Reaper on for size. Though like the Valiant, a Land Raider Crusader does the same job except far tougher.