What is a Devil Dog's main use, exactly?

[Commissar Lewis]

I'm debating purchasing a Hellhound box kit soon and building the cannon in a way that I can switch between Hellhound/Bane Wolf on a as-needed basis (mostly gonna use it as a Bane Wolf), but I was wondering: exactly what role was a Devil Dog designed for?

I mean, a melta blast template would be nice for say maybe Nobs or Terminators, but against a cluster of vehicles it seems less than stellar.

[Mobious]

The way I see it is that the Devil Dog just fills a role of dealing with tough targets and quickly. Against vehicles it is basically a fast moving multi-melta Land Speeder (just less accurate but with an actual armor value). And it can turn around and kill whatever falls out of said vehicles.

I would recommend it over the other variants in lists where you lack the ability to handle high AV, but have plenty of options when dealing with hordes and infantry in cover.

So if you have a list full of Melta Vets and Demolishers, I would opt for the Hellhound. But in a list with let us say Autocannon Platoons and Eradicators, I would opt for a Devil Dog because it fills a hole--dealing with high armor threats(whether it be AV or Armor saves)--in your army list.

Just my 2 cents . . . everyone is welcome to disagree. Just do it constructively please.:)

Oh and my personal favorite is the Hellhound. Laying down that template at essentially a 28" range is just fun. Plus it gives you the most versatility.

[Commissar Lewis]

Hm, yeah that makes sense, sir. That was one of my thoughts, using it to melt my friend's Deathwing Terms and such.

[RocketRollRebel]

Its really one of the few hellhound options that I haven't really tried nor been that excited about. Not to say that its terrible but IG has lots of other options that fill its roll (ie:melta vets, Demolishers, Vendettas). Now ask me what I think of the hellhound and banewolf and I could go on for ever about how awesome both of those tanks are. Thats why I have two of each :D. Let us know how the devil dog works out tho. What were you thinking for a hull weapon? Keep it cheap with a heavy flamer or try and get double tank killyish with the multi-melta?

[Lord Azaghul]

I've never ran one myself, but I had a friend proxy a couple in a game once: both of them killed themselves, the shot shattered back, penned and killed it. I love the concept of the unit though.

[blackarmchair]

I've never used one personally but it actaully seems like a nasty little bugger.

The blast template seems sketchy but it actually favors a BS3 army seeing as you'll either "dead on" or scatter very little just about as often as you would roll a 4+ to hit anywho. Plus that weapon is mounted on a fast vehicle so you can get into position on the double.

Adding a Hull-Mounted Multi-Melta would be a sweet idea too!

[Captainmiserable]

To be a delicious,fattening pastry that may or may not shoot out a flame template if played.

[Commissar Lewis]

As for the hull weapon I was planning on a heavy flamer, and use mostly run the model as a Bane Wolf and speed up 12" and shoot the heavy flamer and chem cannon (chem cannon being S1 counts as defensive weapon, I'm pretty sure).

But I'm gonna build the turret in a way that I can swap out the chem cannon/melta cannon/inferno cannon as I need to, so one model can be whatever variant I want for a battle.

I'll definitely play a few games and try out the Devil Dog and post the results, but it may be a month or so until I buy the model. All my current funding is allocated towards the concerts I plan on attending this summer.

[mercer]

Try this Hellhound squadron tactica I wrote on my blog: http://www.imperiusdominatus.com/2009/11/hellhound-squadron-tactica.html

All variants have uses and weaknesses, I personally find the Hound to be the best all rounder.

A Dog is good for anti vehicle throw a multi melta on it and if you move 6" you can fire both; though it's BS means half miss with the multi melta and you've got to hope that blast template lands on target.

A Wolf is good for anti power armour really spelling death on a 2+ and because it's a template no cover saves :) But it needs to get close to dish out the pain so meltaguns will be on standby and easily nuke it.

The Hound has decent range as it can move 12" fire 12" from the gun and the template is 8" long. It wounds most things on a 2+ but power armour still gets a save, though agaist lesser troops it's deadly.

As I said; Hellhound for me.

[RocketRollRebel]

Hmm problem that I find with the hull heavy flamer on a bane wolf is that you step into strategic wound allocation land vs MEQ armies which can do more harm than good at times. I run mine with a Multi-Melta for that extra shot since the chem cannon is indeed a defensive wep. The heavy flamer isnt a bad choice really, I would just keep it turned off while I'm firing the chem cannon at MEQ units.

Also for some reason when ever I think Devil Dog I picture R Lee Ermey in the turret.

[blackarmchair]

As for the hull weapon I was planning on a heavy flamer, and use mostly run the model as a Bane Wolf and speed up 12" and shoot the heavy flamer and chem cannon (chem cannon being S1 counts as defensive weapon, I'm pretty sure).

Do NOT do that! The Bane Wolf's main function is to kill MEQs if you give it a heavy flamer it makes it REALLY easy to allocate the AP3 wounds on one group in the squad. To maximize killing power for MEQs go with a multi-melta or nothing.

If you're trying to kill horde then a Hellhound is better otherwise stick with all AP3 or better guns for Marines.

[Commissar Lewis]

Ah, good point about the wound allocation.

Sadly it may be a while before I get one - I impulse-bought something today that set my budget back $23 - Xena: Warrior Princess season 1 on DVD. :D

[Lord Azaghul]

Sadly it may be a while before I get one - I impulse-bought something today that set my budget back $23 - Xena: Warrior Princess season 1 on DVD. :D

Its only sad because of what you bought instead! :D
That could have been the complete series of Firefly, or half a season of Dr Who!

[Melissia]

It's the only hellhound variant I actually think is worth taking, but I never liked the things to begin with (so easy to pop...)...

[Commissar Lewis]

Its only sad because of what you bought instead! :D
That could have been the complete series of Firefly, or half a season of Dr Who!

You dissin' Xena? We gonna have problems if you are, son. Haha, merely joking.

[Daemonette666]

I recommend using a squadron of 3 hellhound variants. 1 x Hellhound with a hull mounted Multi-Melta, 1 x Devil Dog with hull mounted Heavy Flamer, 1 x Bane Wolf with a hull mounted Multi-Melta. This gives you a good force to cope with all-comers.

It is a little expensive, but since I generally play games of 1500 points or more (usually 2000-2500 points or Apocalypse games upto 50,000 points if I can find oponents for one). I find it a nice unit to deploy. The devildog for enemy tanks and elite units, the hell hound for general troops and hordes, and the bane wolf for power armour troops in cover - like grey knights when they skulking in ruins playing the shrouding rule to avoid damage. The hull mounted weapon offsets the weakness of the main gun, whether it be against lots of troops or vehicles or troops with a high AV.

[Daemonette666]

Its only sad because of what you bought instead! :D
That could have been the complete series of Firefly, or half a season of Dr Who!
Funny you say that, I have the complete season of Firefly and all but 6 stories of the classic Doctor who, and all the modern Doctor Who.

[Xas]

the melta-cannon is what you get if you buy a plasma cannon tank and ask santa if you can get a multi-melta on top...


I like this beast far more than the plasma cannon sentinels everyone seams to love in my local area O_o