conscripts:
pros;
- cheap mobile mass of men!
- flamers negate their horribly low BS.
- can usually out number any opponent in an assault
- excellent for marching forwards in oder to take ground/objectives
- high numbers ensure the unit maintains it's 'scoring status' even after suffering a dozen or more casulties!
- can use the close order drill doctrine making them even more fearsome in assaults!
cons;
- rubbish Ld - they need an officer to babysit them.
- close order drill formation isn't great when there's even a few template weapons out there!
- large units can become very difficult to move about the battlefield...
- low BS/WS
- are not defined as "guard infantry" so cannot use many doctrines.
- cannot be transported
overall, an independant commissar is pretty much mandetory for using conscripts well! that means you'll only have 3 doctrine pts to play around with, somewhat limiting your overall force/organisation choices...
still, throwing 30-40 or more near-fearless troops onto an objective is going to cause a world of trouble for your opponent!
adding in 2-4 flamers will also make your opponent think twice before trying to gang up on your mob!
i wouldn't go 50 though - compare needing 26 casulties to lose scoring status as to 21 for a unit of 40. for almost the base cost of the much needed independent commissar, you're only gaining 5 extra bodies really...
as for the tank... a russ is ment for fire support, not so much driving up into the thick of it with your front line troops!
side armour 12 isn't that great, and by rushing your tank at the forefront of your force, you'll very likely be exposing your side armour to atleast 2 or 3 high end tank-hunting guns!
instead, consider the demolisher! side armour 13 makes all the difference... (S8 weapons only penetrate on a roll of a 6!) not to mention it has slightly more rear armour too!!! (again, rushing forwards with your tanks will expose this vulnerable point to any flanking enemy units!)
a heavy bolter on the front and a pair of heavy flamer side sponsons keeps the more expensive demolisher cheap, and yet horrifically effective at breaking open an enemy position! being able to deny an entrenched enemy their cover saves is key - anything not wearing power armour is going to die, usually on a to-wound roll of 2 or 3!!!
cheers!