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What is the best Baneblade variant? This is a question I’ve had to ask myself as this package recently showed up on my doorstep and I had to pause and really think: how do I want to create my Baneblade? Which is the best Baneblade variant?

This all stemmed from the fact that I made it a goal this year to start a new Space Marine army and then get absolutely sucked into the new Veteran Guardsman kits and have decided that this is going to be a Death Korps of Krieg army instead of a Space Marine army, and since I build all of my armies on fluff, not on playability, I knew that it was time in my Wargame Exploration for me to finally tackle a Super-Heavy. And that would be the Baneblade.

But look at all of these options for the Baneblade–and you can make them all from the same box. This is, admittedly, a very hefty box, weighing in at a rather ridculous weight (I don’t have a scale, but it’s far heavier than other Games Workshop models in similiar boxes.) And it’s because it comes with all of the parts to build all of the following: Baneblade, Banehammer, Stormsword, Shadowsword, Banesword, Doomhammer, Stormlord, and Hellhammer. (Buy the Baneblade from Amazon | Buy the Baneblade from Element Games)

And let’s just start by saying that all of them look incredible. I’ll get into how they play in a moment, but the key is that they all look good, do different things, and the only reason why this is one kit instead of eight kits is probably because of economies of scale–Games Workshop didn’t think that they were going to be selling enough Baneblade variants to package them all separately.

And that’s probably fair, because the general meta is that any of the Baneblades are all a little too niche for a tournament list, and if you’re regularly playing against an Imperial or Chaos Knight opponent, then they probably won’t want to play against you very often. The Baneblades are designed to kill things, very well, to take heavy amounts of punishment, and to do it with a smile. There are some variants of the Baneblade that are designed to take down Warlord Titans. Not something that will come up much in a game, but still, something to be reckoned with.

So without further ado, let’s break down these Baneblade variants and see which is the best Baneblade variant. We’re going to start from the assumption that at least one of them is (an assumption which can definitely be argued) but if you’re going to take one, here’s the breakdown.

Baneblade Variant: The Generalist

There’s nothing like starting off with a bang, and there are few things that bang bigger than the Baneblade. This super-heavy maga tank is everything you could want in an all-around fighting vehicle, and is probably the most universally useful of all the Baneblade variants.

Just stats-wise, it’s pretty formidable: Toughness 8, 26 Wounds, 3+ Save. It does have the typical Imperial Guard Ballistic Skill of 4+, but with the sheer number of shots that it has to deliver to the enemy, you’re sure to make that 4+ pay off.

The standard Baneblade is armed with Adamantium Tracks, which may not seem like much, but it has 9 attacks at Strength 9, Ap -2, Damage D3, meaning it is not something you want to get charged by. But all the tanks have that.

To start things off slow we’ll begin with the Autocannon, which is nothing to shake a stick at, but nothing to special either. Then comes the big gun: the Baneblade Cannon. 72″ range, Heavy 3D6, Strength 9, AP -3, Damage 3. This essentially gives it the possibility of 18 Strength 9 shots, punching easily through Space Marine power armor, dealing out a possible 38 Damage. In ONE TURN. That’ll take down a Knight or a Wraithknight, or the friggin’ Avatar of Khaine, and it will absolutely pulverize any squad of troops it sets its sights on, be they fragile Drukhari or burly Terminators.

Oh, and don’t forget it has the Demolisher Cannon, which is made for destroying troops. Heavy D6 Blast, 24″, Strength 10, AP -3, Damage D6. And these are two cannons on the same tank that can both fire on the same turn!

Yes, the Baneblade variant of the Baneblade (I know that sounds weird) is the best to take in a tournament list because it can deal with both heavy armor as well as troops. But it’s better at armor.

Shadowsword Variant: The Titan Destroyer

I’ll be upfront with you. This is the Baneblade variant that I chose to go with, anbd I don’t regret that decision one bit. Yes, it will hardly ever be useful on the board, but that’s not the point of it. The point is that it looks awesome (this is my paintjob, which I’m pretty proud of) and it has stats that make other super-heavies cry.

The things is: the Shadowsword has a Volcano Cannon, and if that sounds mean it is even meaner than it sounds.

First off, I don’t know what game you’re playing, but this thing has a range of 120″ or TWELVE FEET. This is a tank that is designed to play big games on big battlefields against big opponents.

Firing Heavy 3D3 (so a possibility of 9 hits) it’s got Strength 16 AP -5 and does 2D6 damage. There is really only one thing in the game that the Shadowsword is meant to be shooting at, and that’s a Titan. Not convinced? It’s Shadowspear Targeters add 1 to all hit rolls against Titanic units.

Yes, the Shadowsword variant of the Baneblade is a one-trick pony, but it is really good at its one trick. And I picked it to build, even though no one I know owns a Titan. Ah well.

Stormsword Variant: The Siege Cannon

It may just be that when we ask which Baneblade variant is the best, the answer is that they’re ALL too niche to have anything but a singular purpose. And the Stormsword is the next super-heavy tank on this niche exhibition.

The Stormsword is good at one thing and one thing only, and that’s absoltuely pulverizing units in cover. In particular it is good at absolutely pulverizing heavily armored things in cover. Basically, if you’re a Space Marine, and you’re in a trench, then you’re what the Stormsword dreams about at night.

The Stormsword Seige Cannon has a relatively short range (36″) but is still Heavy 2D6, Strength 10, AP -4, and Damage D6. Plus it’s a Blast weapon. Nothing to sniff at there. Point it at a unit of Terminators and watch them melt.

But where the Stormsword Seige Cannon gets really useful is if you happen to be in cover, because you get NO cover save from the Stormsword. Also, it rerolls Damage rolls of 1. So, pretty brutal. I imagine that if the Stormsword had a perfect enemy it would be the Imperial Fists? Are the Imperial Guard creating Baneblade variants with the sole reason of destroying individual chapters of the Space Marines?

Hellhammer Variant: The Close Combat Tank

The Hellhammer’s niche is that it wants to get up close and personal, and, when it does, it goes absolutely bananas.

For starters, it’s got a Demolisher Cannon which we already know is a close combat killer (Range 24″, HEavy D6 Blast Strength 10, AP -3, Damage D6). But it also happens to be covered from stem to stern in Heavy Flamers. It’s begging you to charge it.

And, of course, it doesn’t stop there, because the primary weapon of the Hellhammer is, as the name suggests, the Hellhammer Cannon. Range 36″, Heavy 3D6 Blast, Strength 10, AP -4, Damage 3, and no one gets bonuses for cover. So it’s a troop killer extraordinaire, able to wipe out 18 in one blow. With one of its many guns.

Charge it. We dare you.

Doomhammer Variant: The Baby Shadowsword with a Cargo Hatch

The Doomhammer is indeed a baby Shadowsword, which, you’ll remember, is the Baneblade variant that is extra special spicy at attacking Titans. Well, the Doomhammer may not serve up Titan damage, but it is designed to cut through armor like nobody’s business. If you’re playing against Imperial or Chaos Knights then the Doomhammer is a Baneblade variant you want to have on your side.

The Doomhammer has two reasons it likes to get up close before it really engages, and we’re going to talk about one now and one in a minute. The first reason is because its weapon, the Magma Cannon, is like if the Shadowsword and a Melta Gun had a baby. At 60″ range, it deals out Heavy 2D6, Strength 10, AP -5, Damage D6. BUT: if it’s at half range (so 30″) you roll two dice when rolling the D6 damage and you take the higher one. That’s a Knight killer if there ever was one.

But the second reason it likes to get up close? It’s because it’s open topped (partially) and you can stick TWENTY FIVE Imperial Guard troops in the back of it. And TEN of those models can fire from the open top, so if you want to load your Imperial Guard up with heavy weapons and let them also do a big portion of the shooting, then more power to you.

Or, you know, you could blast a hole in whatever main battle tank the enemy is using, ram their lines with the Adamantium Treads, and unload a ton of Bullgryns on the enemy.

Banehammer Variant: The Silly One

Okay, so it may not be silly, but it is kind of a quirky one. I love Warhammer weapons that do remarkably strange things to their opponents and the Banehammer just so happens to do a remarkably strange thing. It makes the enemy unable to move.

No, it’s not because it fires sticky webs (although that would be neat, but it’s because the gun makes such a tremendous crash when it impacts the ground that everyone around the blast area has wobbly legs.

But let’s talk about what the gun does first. The Tremor Cannon (of course it’s called the Tremor Cannon) has range 60″ Heavy 3D6, Strength 8 (lowest strength on a Baneblade variant yet), AP -2, and Damage 3. Plus it’s Blast. But the silly thing–yes, I’m going to call it a silly thing–is that any unit that is hit by the Tremor Cannon (and lives) halves their movement and cannot advance.

So, there aren’t a LOT of times when you’d want the Tremor Cannon to be your big points sink purchase, but if you’re fighting something that loves to charge, like Tyranids or Blood Angels or Wulfen or Berzerkers, then you can definitely see the appeal.

Still, super weird tank, in my opinion.

(I should also point out that this tank, like the Doomhammer, can hold 25 Imperial Guard, and ten of them can shoot out of the top. You could even put heavy weapons in there like mortars, just for fun.)

Stormlord Variant: The (Mega) Mini Gun

I was about to say that the Stormlord does one thing and does it well, but I think I’ve said that about most of the tanks here.

What the Stormlord variant of the Baneblade does is unleashes hellish amounts of Bolter fire on the enemy.

Starting with the sponsons, you’ve got two twin heavy bolters (which, to remind you, are Heavy 2D6, Strength 5, AP -1, Damage 1, EACH) Then you’ve got the storm bolter (Why not add in Rapid Fire 2, Strength 4, Damage 1). And then you’ve got the big boy, the Vulcan Mega-Bolter. This thing fires Heavy 20 (no randomness here, it’s straight 20), Strength 6, AP -2, Damage 2.

AND AS IF THAT WEREN’T ENOUGH FIREPOWER, this beast can hold FORTY Imperial Guard in his cargo hold, and TWENTY of them can fire out the open top. And, if a lot of those are heavy weapons teams, then you’ve got your choice of mortars, lascannons, and missiles all adding to the fun.

And, of course, then you get up to the enemy (what’s left of them) and the 40 jump out and start fighting hand-to-hand.

Banesword Variant: The Damage Dealer

The Banesword does something very sneaky, which makes it pretty neat, and probably a lot more practical than the Shadowsword. (Well, everything is more practical than the Shadowsword.)

Yes, it has a big main cannon like the Shadowsword, and yes it can shoot from 140″ away (20″ more than the Shadowsword) but it doesn’t quite have the same strength (the Banesword’s Strength 14 to the Shadowsword’s 16) but 14 is pretty good regardless. What the Banesword does which is so cool is that its Heavy 2D6 shots, AP -4, Damage D6 get to count all of the damage rolls of 1 or 2 as 3s. So it may not have the Strength, and it may not have the AP, but it has more reliable damage output than the Shadowsword.

Sadly, that’s all it does (like that isn’t enough). There’s no cargo bay in the back full of Ogryns, and there’s no mortars falling out of the Firing Deck. But it’s still pretty neat.

Conclusion

What is the best Baneblade variant? I honestly don’t know. I mean, I made a Shadowsword because it’s just plain awesome, but is it the best? Only in some very specific circumstances.

I don’t know if ANY Baneblade variant would fit into a good tournament list, if you’re all about playing in tournaments. They’re all too specialized, and for the amount of points that you’re paying for these things they’ve got to earn some of those points back on the battlefield.

But if you know who you’re playing, and you have some options, then you can really wreak some havoc. There are YouTube videos that teach you how to magnetize your Baneblade so that it can be any of them, so the answer to What Is The Best Baneblade Variant is ALL OF THEM.

But all of this said, New Year New Army, and I’m building a Death Korps of Krieg force and I fully intend to add a second Baneblade variant to my list. Will I ever run both of them in the same game? I don’t know. Probably, because Rule of Cool. Will I win? We’ll have to wait and see.

What do you think? What is the best Baneblade variant in your eyes?