Ultramarines roll out the New Tech - Much to the Chagrin of the Regimental Commander of the 555th

Ultramarines Third Company  Captain Fabian was amused to find himself on a rocky knoll, looking out across the maneuver field.  Standing near him was the Regimental Commander of the Triple Nickle "555th" Regiment of the Imperial Guard.  Across the training area, other units watched and waited. 

It started as a simple gesture.  Third Company had recently received a shipment of new vehicles to add to the forces of the Ultramarines.  Not only were there Flakk Misiles for the Devastators, in a large crate was a prototype, something really new.  A up-armored Rhino with Hunter and Stalker load outs - a mobile anti-aircraft / anti-skimmer tank.  As it was unpacked and the Techmarines and servitors went through starting up the machine's spirit, they were approached by some flight officers assigned to the 555th. 

The flight officers scoffed at the new tank.

Their Vendetta was better they claimed. 

That started the competition. 

Could a single Ultramarines armored vehicle fend off a Vendetta?

The trial started with the Stalker. 

After a few tests, a few resourceful Guardsmen drove their Chimera forward to provide cover for the hapless Techmarines working feverishly inside the vehicle. 

The results did not change much.

The Techmarines swapped out the modular weapon system and tried again.

Nope.

Even Guardsman Marbo was amused. 

The only observer who enjoyed the event more than the Imperial Guard Commander was Ultramarines Sergeant Tellion.  He'd used the time of the test observing Marbo...

Of course you cannot expect a simple 75 point armored vehicle to take down reliably a 130 point flying tank-killer.  But you can try...and not do so well.  Looks like when I'm in games where AV12 fliers may be involved...going to have to take two units that can accomplish that support role....

Yep, in 5 tests, the Stalker beat the Valkyrie 2 time, but only one of those was an actual destruction of the flier.  The Vendetta exploded the Stalker twice...

The Hunter did not beat the Valkyrie at all....it was destroyed or its Missile Launcher destroyed before it could harm the flyer. 

Captain Fabian wondered aloud if maybe that STC should have been left in the archives...