ElectricPaladin
07-22-2012, 01:49 PM
As you may know, if you've been following my threads here, I've been doing a lot of thinking about how to best play my Blood Angels in the new edition. The biggest problem has been how to keep the in your face, deep strike action that drew me to the Blood Angels while dealing with the new rules that require I deploy at least half my army (rounding down). Right now, I've got a pretty good list: a drop Death Company and Assault Squad led by a Reclusiarch and a Librarian, two small laserback Assault Squads, and a small squad of Devastators. I'm happy enough with this list that I want to see how it plays before making and major changes.
Anyway, this is my first time using Devastators, and I have a question about how they are best employed. Specifically, what should they ride in? Originally, I had them in a drop pod, which was awesome. However, with four elements held in reserve (Assault Squad, Death Company, Reclusiarch, Librarian), I need at least three elements on the table, and drop pods don't count.
If I give the Devs a razorback, I have the option of starting them in a transport, for increased mobility, and that transport is itself fully capable of providing anti-tank support at a distance, which is a good thing in an army with limited long-range anti-vehicle weapons.
However, if I give them a razorback and have them actually ride in it, then their utility is limited. They can't fire on the turn they disembark. That means that if the razorback only has to go six inches to drop them off, they can start making a difference on turn two. If the razorback has to go further, they don't start being effective until turn three (turn one: drive more than 6' so they can't disembark, turn two: disembark, turn three: start contributing to the battle).
If I give the Devs a rhino, then I only have two twin-linked lascannons on the table. That's not bad, but it isn't as good as three. The utility of the third vehicle in distracting fire from my two other laserbacks is limited, because now my opponent has two obviously high priority targets (laserbacks! :mad:) and one lower priority target (rhino... :(). Even with Devastators inside, I'm worried that it won't help as much as I want it to.
On the other hand, the rhino has an advantage. With its two fire points, I can get off one BS 4 and one BS 5 missile launcher attack every turn, as long as the rhino moves no more than 6'. This means that my Devastators can potentially start in a vehicle and begin contributing on Turn One, even as their rhino delivers them to a location for them to set up shop.
So... what do you think? Razorback? Rhino? What should my Devastators drive around in? Or should I bag the Devastators as my long range fire support and use something else, like a couple of Landspeeders or a Baal Predator?
Anyway, this is my first time using Devastators, and I have a question about how they are best employed. Specifically, what should they ride in? Originally, I had them in a drop pod, which was awesome. However, with four elements held in reserve (Assault Squad, Death Company, Reclusiarch, Librarian), I need at least three elements on the table, and drop pods don't count.
If I give the Devs a razorback, I have the option of starting them in a transport, for increased mobility, and that transport is itself fully capable of providing anti-tank support at a distance, which is a good thing in an army with limited long-range anti-vehicle weapons.
However, if I give them a razorback and have them actually ride in it, then their utility is limited. They can't fire on the turn they disembark. That means that if the razorback only has to go six inches to drop them off, they can start making a difference on turn two. If the razorback has to go further, they don't start being effective until turn three (turn one: drive more than 6' so they can't disembark, turn two: disembark, turn three: start contributing to the battle).
If I give the Devs a rhino, then I only have two twin-linked lascannons on the table. That's not bad, but it isn't as good as three. The utility of the third vehicle in distracting fire from my two other laserbacks is limited, because now my opponent has two obviously high priority targets (laserbacks! :mad:) and one lower priority target (rhino... :(). Even with Devastators inside, I'm worried that it won't help as much as I want it to.
On the other hand, the rhino has an advantage. With its two fire points, I can get off one BS 4 and one BS 5 missile launcher attack every turn, as long as the rhino moves no more than 6'. This means that my Devastators can potentially start in a vehicle and begin contributing on Turn One, even as their rhino delivers them to a location for them to set up shop.
So... what do you think? Razorback? Rhino? What should my Devastators drive around in? Or should I bag the Devastators as my long range fire support and use something else, like a couple of Landspeeders or a Baal Predator?