Interceptors, worth it?

[celestialatc]

I love assault marines...and I now love interceptors. I love the idea that I can suddenly appear 30 inches away from where I was an lay down the pain with N Str5 shots with psybolt ammo. But the question I have is how everyone thinks they should best be deployed?

I am thinking Falchions and Psybolt ammo and in a group of 10 if I have the point. That gives me two combat squads with units with 3 attacks (4 on charge) with STR5 Storm Bolter Shots. Hold one or both units back for most of the game and in the last couple of turns, Shunt them to were they are most needed.

I think Teamed with a purifier army they will be amazing but are they worth it? Are Interceptors just a waste of points and should I just get a Strike Squad or another purifier unit?

[DarkLink]

Take 8-10, and take psybolts. Interceptors won't be in a vehicle so you'll always have the opportunity to shoot, might as well buff it for that cheap. Plus you get the opportunity to shunt into a vehicle's rear arc and pen AV 10 without the need to buy psycannons.

CC upgrades may not be worth it, though, aside from a hammer and maybe one or two other weapons. Those points add up very quickly, and you're not adding any real survivability to the squad. Interceptors aren't really a frontline assault unit anyways. They're a mobile harrassment unit.

[Kawauso]

I'd say their mobility (which is considerable) absolutely justifies their cost/use.

However, as they are essentially fancy Strike Squads, I don't know that I would both giving them much in the way of CC upgrades, personally.

Their strength would appear to lie in their ability to provide additional firepower when you need it, where you need it. So I'd say a unit of 10 (combat squads or no) would be best off with psybolt ammo and a pair of psycannons. Psycannons are great and while its true they are at their best when firing 'heavy' and doubling their shots, they're still assault weapons, and 4 psycannon shots after a 30" shunt is nothing to sneeze at. Especially when you account for the S5 storm bolter shots with psybolt ammo.

Also, don't forget that psycannons can take out vehicles pretty handily as well. If they rend they even have a 2/3 chance of penetrating AV14.

I'd say giving the Justicar a daemonhammer is worth it - simply because it is such a cheap upgrade and, come on, it's a thunder hammer. Beyond that, I personally don't think spending points on close combat weapons is a good call for these guys. Yes, they can handle their own in an assault by virtue of being marines with power weapons, but ultimately I think they'll really whine when providing a highly mobile increase to your firepower.

[fuzzbuket]

hmm anyone else thought about using a 5man unit with fachions? if you are facing a midfield army or a CC army you could shunt the interceptors behind enemy lines and kill the dev/scout/ranger squad holding the rear objective? frankly 5 extra attacks for 25 pts is very good!

[Lemt]

hmm anyone else thought about using a 5man unit with fachions? if you are facing a midfield army or a CC army you could shunt the interceptors behind enemy lines and kill the dev/scout/ranger squad holding the rear objective? frankly 5 extra attacks for 25 pts is very good!

5 or 10, depends on how you understand the rule.

Nevertheless, remember if you shunt you can't assault that turn.

[plawolf]

I plan to have 10, with twin psycannons. I would combat squad them most of the time, and if I take a GM, I would def make them troops.

If I had the points I would give four of them Falchion and 1 hammer, they would be the suicide squad and shunt behind cover so they cannot be shot, then jump and assault some expensive fire support unit next turn. Do not forget that their 'jump' move ignores all obstructions.

The other half will take the psycannons, sit in cover and provide fire support. If they are still alive at the end, they can shunt onto an objective and claim it. Although they tend to die when I do this (surprise surprise), so in the future, I might use grand strategy on another unit and just use the fire support half to contest an enemy objective instead.

I would still expect them to die most of the time, but at least that puts pressure on my opponent to take the effort to kill them or else I am going to be contesting one of his objectives.

[DarkLink]

5 Interceptors in their own is asking for them to get picked off. You shunt them into your opponent's backfield, then his razorback squads will just hop out and rapid fire them, then get back in next turn. Waste of 130pts.

10 (or 2x5), however, are durable enough that your opponent has to take them slightly seriously.


Either way, you're buying Interceptors for their mobility, not their combat prowess. Throwing points at the squad to try and fake a good assault unit won't work. You'll just end up with a 350+pt unit of 10 guys. Interceptors are not durable enough to justify that sort of expenditure.

[EasyC]

Personally I think they are a good choice. I like the NFH option. If you take a GM and give them scout, they can pull off a first turn assault with I6 Force weapons, not to bad to me, but the +1A with falchions is an option also

I am planning on using a squad of 10, with 2 psycannons and psybolt ammo. Even though I wont be making them troops, from the GM, with the scout ability I can get them where I need them and lay down cover fire for the rest of the army and their jump infantry status means I can get them where I might need them during the course of the game.

[celestialatc]

I still like the idea of giving them falchions but maybe you all are right. I will have to try both ideas and see if they are worth the points I sink in.

I do like the idea that have psycannons in a group, I was not even thinking of that but seeing some of the opinions, I think it's a great idea, teleport them behind a weapon platform and get some rear armor shots!

[Bean]

They seem good. As's been said, spending a bunch of points to tool them up for combat doesn't seem like a good idea. Take two psycannons, maybe psybolts, and use them as mobile shooting that does close combat when appropriate, rather than focusing them on getting into close combat.

Definitely take the psycannons, though. They're highly versatile, and very strong anti-tank.

[Xas]

if falchions were as cheap on them as on purifiers it would be worth it.

but at the standard cost it isnt worth it as you dont get more survivability in any way (halberds add i6 which can mean less cassualties if you fight decent oponents).


my 10 man unit with 2 psycannons however is a unit I love.
last game they were supported by a teleport knight and together they took on a 1500pts mech IG army all by themselves with scout and propper use of terrain.

when the GM, his paladins and the strike squads came in on turn 4 (bad rolling... or good depending on how you see it when you score 7 killpoints while only giving up one ;) ) all that was left for them to clear off was a crashed vendetta (immobilized with guns pointing into nowhere), 8 rattlings and 3 leman russ battletanks hiding in a corner (6 terminators in a raven vs stock battlecannon leman russ is borderline cruel :D).

and the justicar of the interceptors even survived the battle!

[Cyberscape7]

I think its best to take a few pairs of falchions in a squad but don't kit out the whole squad with them. You want this mobile squad to be able to handle itself in a variety of situations so paying a few points for a few extra attacks is something that shouldnt be taken lightly.

[EasyC]

[Personally I think they are a good choice. I like the NFH option. If you take a GM and give them scout, they can pull off a first turn assault with I6 Force weapons, not to bad to me, but the +1A with falchions is an option also

I am planning on using a squad of 10, with 2 psycannons and psybolt ammo. Even though I wont be making them troops, from the GM, with the scout ability I can get them where I need them and lay down cover fire for the rest of the army and their jump infantry status means I can get them where I might need them during the course of the game.]

Yes the squad might not take down many but casting hammerhand raises my strength to 5 with a force weapon striking at I6, I can put a hurting on most squads or basic squads I could wipe out in a first turn.

Im sorry I forgot to add that I would combat squad them, 1 with 2 psy cannons, the other combat squad of 5 with the NFH. One 5 man squad tries and assaults first turn while the other scouts into a good firing position for the psy cannons. Or I could assault the same squad first turn with both and then have each go their seperate ways.

Cant argue though that purifiers are cheaper, have base 2 attacks, fearless, cleansing fire, and cheaper weapons. I like the idea of having a 10 man purifier squad with Falchions in a storm raven with a librarian that has quicksilver as one of his powers.

[EasyC]

I was perusing the GK questions thread and now wonder if Falchions give Inteceptors 3 attacks? Base 1 + 1 From Falchion ability + 1 for 2 CCW?

Any ruling or understanding of this?

[Bean]

I was perusing the GK questions thread and now wonder if Falchions give Inteceptors 3 attacks? Base 1 + 1 From Falchion ability + 1 for 2 CCW?

Any ruling or understanding of this?

There's some debate on this issue. RAW-wise, the answer seems to be that they do get two bonus attacks--one for the two-weapon bonus and one for Falchion's special rule. No-one really knows how it was intended to work.

[EasyC]

Interesting...

I might have to go with Inteceptors with falchions then. Dam it I knew i was going to have to magnitize the arms of my GK squads. Just more work now...

[Jwolf]

Give them Incinerators and remove anything except MEQ from any spot on the board you want. Frankly I think they will be terrifying to any infantry T3 army, and well worth the points against Orks, too.

[EasyC]

Funky Butt lovin! Didnt think of two first turn in your face incinerators against hordes, hrmm Im really buying into Inteceptors are awesome idea now.

[DarkLink]

That's a good point. Interceptors are the one unit I would really consider Incinerators on over psycannons. In every other unit Incinerators will probably only get one shot before getting into cc, which isn't worth it compared to a psycannon or even a storm bolter and NFW. Interceptors, on the other hand, can fly around flaming stuff left and right, and up to 30" once per game.

[Lerra]

These guys terrify me because of their ability to tear up the backfield. Most armies have some sort of soft unit sitting in the rear (Long Fangs, Artillery, Pathfinders, Dark Reapers, Broadsides, etc.).

[DarkLink]

They're great for bypassing speedbump units. If your opponent wants to bubblewrap against them, they have to hunker down in a corner and leave no space for the Interceptors to jump behind their lines.

[celestialatc]

These guys terrify me because of their ability to tear up the backfield. Most armies have some sort of soft unit sitting in the rear (Long Fangs, Artillery, Pathfinders, Dark Reapers, Broadsides, etc.).

This is a great point. And most of these units are not going to be very good in close combat. Hmm, now what would tear up the back field more....psycannons or incinerators?

[Bean]

This is a great point. And most of these units are not going to be very good in close combat. Hmm, now what would tear up the back field more....psycannons or incinerators?

Depends on whether the backfield is tanks or guys. If it's guys, incinerators. if it's tanks, Psycannons. Psycannons are cheaper and have better range. Incinerators are a little closer to being as good against tanks as psycannons than psycannons are to being as good against guys as Incinerators. It's kind of a toss-up, and, like I said, you should probably be deciding based on which you expect to be hitting in the back-court more: tanks or guys.

Personally, I find back-court tanks to be substantially more common. Also, remember that the squad already packs a fair amount of anti-infantry in the form of Storm Bolters, making the Incinerator a little less critical.

[DarkLink]

Psycannons aren't exactly bad against infantry, and you do have storm bolters. And they're much better against vehicles. And they're cheaper. And you don't have to be right on top of the opponent. I'd stick with psycannons.

[Bean]

Psycannons aren't exactly bad against infantry, and you do have storm bolters. And they're much better against vehicles. And they're cheaper. And you don't have to be right on top of the opponent. I'd stick with psycannons.

Generally agree.