Chimera Gun Placement

[SotonShades]

Right, so I've got a doubles tournament coming up to which I'm taking an Armoured Regiment list (from IA1) and I've got an Armoured Fist Squad in my 750 points.

Whilst I'm happy with the list overall, I'm not overly used to using Chimeras. In fact, I have never used one before so I'm a little unsure as to where to place the guns. Currently I have a hull mounted Heavy Flamer and a turret mounted Heavy Bolter.

The rational behind this was to allow the Chimera to move toward the objectives in the enemies' deployment zone while firing the HB at targets of oppertunity (using the turret for 360 degree LOS) and clearing said objectives with the HF on arrival.

In our first practice game (possibly more by luck than intention) almost all of the Chimera's targets were in it's front arc (so no need for the HB to be in the turret) and when I arrived at the objective I was unable to bring both the Chimera's HF and the Flamer from the squad inside to bear on the target to clear the objective.

Do you wonderful people on BoLS find this is often the case, and thus putting the HF in the turret proves a better option, or was this more of a one off occurance? What experience do people have using Chimeras in this way? Successful or disastorous? I'm thinking of naming the Chimera "Lucky B*s t*rd" due to the number of brightlance shots it survived in that first game!

[Magos Bellum]

The hull Heavy Flamer on a standard (generally one with an infantry squad, and not some command or specialized unit) Chimera is more of a defensive tool than an offensive one. Especially against non MEQ's, it is a deterrent for charging the Chimera (which dies easily when charged). Enemy gets close, then you move forward 6" and flame them, hopefully causing the squad to retreat or wiping them out entirely.

The turret weapon on the standard Chimera is what creates the tank's damage output for most of the game. Generally the Multi-laser is better here, but it is really personal preference. Having a heavy bolter in the turret allows you to shoot at infantry to the sides of the tank while keeping your superior front armor facing a greater threat, such as Long Fangs with Missile Launchers.

However, for a Chimera carrying a unit that is intended to be used to take objectives or act as counter assault, a turret heavy flamer is useful, allowing you to shoot with it and disembark troops into the enemy's face/fire from within at the same time. This takes some practice to do well, but the results can be amazing.

In summary, hull heavy flamer for line units, turret for assault units.

[Denzark]

I never use HF on IG vehicles, as I never intend to take them within 8" of the enemy. Multi laser for max hits, Heavy Stubber for maximum bonus shots whilst moving.

[SotonShades]

Normally I'd agree with you Denzark as, let's face it, guard in combat don't tend to end well. However, in this list the Chimera and guard squad have one purpose; to get ahead of our gunline and take objectives in the enemy deployment zone/no man's land.

[George Labour]

AS someone who runs a mechanized IG list I go with all chimeras having turret multi lasers, and hull flamers.

This is because I am always moving them, and thus only get one weapon anyways. The ML makes for good long range fire support, while the flamer is good for getting mass hits once my opponent's close the range. Even against high save enemies I'll take three or four template hits over a possible 1 to 3 since guard BS is not something to rely on at close range.

Now keep in mind this is an army with about eight chimeras backed up by Hydras and a few heavier vehicles. So it may not apply to the one chimera surrounded by real armor you indicated.

[Xas]

If you take HB & HF and want to use a flamer from the hatch your idea is good to use the HF on the turret (so you can hit something in your sides with both flamers. if it is within flamer distance it deosnt matter which armor you face THEM but you might bring the front12 to bear something else where it is important).

on advance allmost all targets you want to hit with HB fire will be in your front.


I personally have my flamer in the hull but because I can only take the other weapon I really want in the turret.

my army (vehicle wise) looks roughly so:

3 chimearas with autocannons (FW allows a turret AC for a few pts) and hull heavy flamers for my meltavets.
here the autocannons is used for long range firesupport on advancement and doing sideshots once within enemy lines (take a multilaser if you useing no FW) while the flamer is just a weapon of opportunity.

2 chimearas with turret flamers, stubbers and hull heavy bolter for my enginseers. here the turret flamer is important so I can at same time flame something that came too close to my mechanics AND have my chimearas av12 face a treat to protect/screen the mechanics.

1 hellhound /w heavy flamer for the real flameing work.

heavy flamers on the hulls of ALL my artillery pieces simply because they are ordnance and so never can fire the heavy bolter in addition. therefore I rather have a powerfull weapon to defend myself at close quarters than a measly mid range weapon that serves no other purpose compared to the flamer than shooting when I'm both immobilized AND have my mainw eapon destroyed (griffons/basilisk with a destroyed main gun and a hull heavy flamer make for real and esentially free ghetto-hellhounds :) ).

[Rissan4ever]

In our first practice game (possibly more by luck than intention) almost all of the Chimera's targets were in it's front arc (so no need for the HB to be in the turret) and when I arrived at the objective I was unable to bring both the Chimera's HF and the Flamer from the squad inside to bear on the target to clear the objective.
Why were you not able to bring the flamer from the squad to bear on the target? When firing a template weapon from a vehicle, you place the point of the template contacting the vehicle's hull, not the fire point. Or is it that you place it on the hull at the closest spot to the fire point?

If it's the former, you should keep the heavy flamer in the hull mount. If it's the later, you should move the heavy flamer to the turret to allow you pull up sideways on the objective and flame it with the turret and the squad's flamer.

[DarkLink]

Why were you not able to bring the flamer from the squad to bear on the target? When firing a template weapon from a vehicle, you place the point of the template contacting the vehicle's hull, not the fire point. Or is it that you place it on the hull at the closest spot to the fire point?


You place the template originating at the weapon that fires it. The rules are unclear on exactly how you're supposed to do this in some cases, but shooting the hull-flamer on a Chimera from anywhere but the hull-flamer is not one of those cases.

[SotonShades]

according to the rulebook, all ranges and line of sight are measures from the firepoint, so not anywhere from the hull

[DrLove42]

As your team mate in this tournement I vote flamer on turret. That way you go side on and flame with both,and the squad can get out next turn and be closer to the objective we're trying to claim.

And the bolter don't need much sideways spin....our back gunline is enough to take out anything on its flanks

[SotonShades]

lol true enough, and in all honesty i've all ready built the chimera with the flamer in the turret. Now just got to paint it and get the rest of the armoured fist squad up to standard