Assaulting from a transport has never been so difficult. There have been a number of quite large changes which affect how this works.
Firstly, you can only now disembark if the transport moves a maximum of 6 inches in the movement phase. You can only assault if the vehicle is an assault vehicle.
Other vehicles previously could be used to launch assaults if they stayed stationary, but this rule has gone. Also gone is the ability to move full speed and drop off the troop capacity. Now, no matter how fast your transport may be, be it a slow Rhino or a supersonic Stormraven, you can only move 6 inches to drop your troops off.
This means you will need to be virtually on top of the enemy the turn before, in order to do this. Flyers will need to go into hover mode to drop off their troops, because otherwise they are moving too fast to do this.
Wednesday 15 August 2012
Tuesday 14 August 2012
Unit types
Having played quite a few types of games, it is becoming clearer that unit types matter a lot more than they did before, when it comes to charging.
Essentially, if you are a close combat unit, you want either fleet, a jump pack or to be six inches away at most to achieve charges on a regular basis.
If you don't have fleet or a jump pack, you will find it very difficult to get a charge unless you can walk right up to them in the movement phase. This is easier to do with some units than others.
Certain units like Eldar jetbikes are incredibly rapid with a huge turbo boost and the ability to move in the assault phase but charging they can only move 12 in movement, and charge 2d6 like foot infantry. This makes them very difficult to use as shock assault troops, as they will need to close into short range of most enemy units the turn before, and they typically have neither the numbers or toughness/saves to take much punishment.
Khorne Berserkers are going to be quite badly affected unless they gain fleet in the forthcoming chaos codex to help them cope with the charge ranges. This applies equally to any infantry unit on foot, which specialises in combat, and needs to charge to get the best out of their special rules, eg furious charge, rage etc.
If you have a means of delivering said combat troops into battle via an assault vehicle, this is helpful, but not all armies get them, with only dark eldar raiders, ork trucks and marine landraiders being anything like common. The dark eldar and ork vehicles suffer from low durability, while the landraider is a huge points investment making this a tricky balance.
The ideal method will be to load up all your assault troops in an assault flier, such as a Stormraven. This has huge durability while no units have skyfire, and is incredibly rapid, capable of dumping off its cargo, then speeding around in subsequent turns to bring its formidable firepower to any part of the table, while not risking death from anti tank guns, unless they are in huge numbers.
Essentially, if you are a close combat unit, you want either fleet, a jump pack or to be six inches away at most to achieve charges on a regular basis.
If you don't have fleet or a jump pack, you will find it very difficult to get a charge unless you can walk right up to them in the movement phase. This is easier to do with some units than others.
Certain units like Eldar jetbikes are incredibly rapid with a huge turbo boost and the ability to move in the assault phase but charging they can only move 12 in movement, and charge 2d6 like foot infantry. This makes them very difficult to use as shock assault troops, as they will need to close into short range of most enemy units the turn before, and they typically have neither the numbers or toughness/saves to take much punishment.
Khorne Berserkers are going to be quite badly affected unless they gain fleet in the forthcoming chaos codex to help them cope with the charge ranges. This applies equally to any infantry unit on foot, which specialises in combat, and needs to charge to get the best out of their special rules, eg furious charge, rage etc.
If you have a means of delivering said combat troops into battle via an assault vehicle, this is helpful, but not all armies get them, with only dark eldar raiders, ork trucks and marine landraiders being anything like common. The dark eldar and ork vehicles suffer from low durability, while the landraider is a huge points investment making this a tricky balance.
The ideal method will be to load up all your assault troops in an assault flier, such as a Stormraven. This has huge durability while no units have skyfire, and is incredibly rapid, capable of dumping off its cargo, then speeding around in subsequent turns to bring its formidable firepower to any part of the table, while not risking death from anti tank guns, unless they are in huge numbers.
Monday 6 August 2012
2+ saves are so much better than in 5th
Fresh from my last article on power weapons, the next logical step is to
see what units are the biggest winners from the changes. One thing
which is apparant is that in order to get an AP2 weapon, aside a couple
of exceptions, Monstrous creatures, Dreadnoughts and Warscythes come to
mind is that you have to strike last.
This gives a huge boost to troops who have 2+ saves, which previously wasn't half as effective as it seemed on paper due to power weapons carving through it like butter in close combat, and the fact that many units hid away in transports until they were certain of charging, meaning they had very little exposure to shooting.
The biggest beneficiary of this change are Mega Nobz. With no invulnerable save to speak of, they relied entirely on their 2+ save which was easy to negate. Now the only way to do this is to use a Power Fist or Power Axe for the majority of models. This means that the Nobz own Power Clawz strike at the same time, allowing them to dish out damage simultaneously with any unit capable of cutting through the armour, without being horribly killed first.
The other big gainers are Marine Honour Guards. Seldom seen due to high points cost and requiring a chapter master, they come free with a power weapon and artificer armour giving them a 2+ save. They are pretty much in the same boat as mega armour, although with less wounds, so easier to kill still.
Terminators on the other hand have and havn't changed, depending on what load out they have. Thunderhammer terminators are more or less the same as they used to be, as they should be fighting units which ignore terminator armour in combat, otherwise why did you include them? The tactical terminators, and those armed with lightning claws gain similarly to those above, with the lightning claw ones getting a ridiculous boost provided the enemy didn't have a 2+ save. If they do, they will struggle, otherwise they will carve through any unit you can think of.
This gives a huge boost to troops who have 2+ saves, which previously wasn't half as effective as it seemed on paper due to power weapons carving through it like butter in close combat, and the fact that many units hid away in transports until they were certain of charging, meaning they had very little exposure to shooting.
The biggest beneficiary of this change are Mega Nobz. With no invulnerable save to speak of, they relied entirely on their 2+ save which was easy to negate. Now the only way to do this is to use a Power Fist or Power Axe for the majority of models. This means that the Nobz own Power Clawz strike at the same time, allowing them to dish out damage simultaneously with any unit capable of cutting through the armour, without being horribly killed first.
The other big gainers are Marine Honour Guards. Seldom seen due to high points cost and requiring a chapter master, they come free with a power weapon and artificer armour giving them a 2+ save. They are pretty much in the same boat as mega armour, although with less wounds, so easier to kill still.
Terminators on the other hand have and havn't changed, depending on what load out they have. Thunderhammer terminators are more or less the same as they used to be, as they should be fighting units which ignore terminator armour in combat, otherwise why did you include them? The tactical terminators, and those armed with lightning claws gain similarly to those above, with the lightning claw ones getting a ridiculous boost provided the enemy didn't have a 2+ save. If they do, they will struggle, otherwise they will carve through any unit you can think of.
Wednesday 1 August 2012
Power weapon comparisons in 6th edition Part 2
Continuing on from my most Popular article ever, I will look at some
other typical enemies to use power weapons on. As I covered the two
most common marine types in the last article, this one is perhaps
unsurprisingly looking at some different. This one will look at two
large groups of enemy units. The first one is more or less Ork
equivalents. WS4, T4 and 4+ save or worse. There is no point in
looking at the difference between 4+,5+ or 6+ saves, because all of the
weapons ignore them. The second one is Guard equivalents, so WS3, T3
and again 4+ save or worse. This covers guard, guardians, and a variety
of tyranid creatures. As before all numbers assume a marine sergeant
with a bolt pistol and the weapon, who has not charged, eg has his basic
number of attacks, plus one for a pistol.
Vs WS4/T4/4+
Power weapon: 0.75 [0.25 per attack]
Power sword: 0.75 [0.25 per attack]
Power axe: 0.99 [0.33 per attack, strikes at initiative one]
Power maul: 1.25 [0.42 per attack]
Power spear: 0.99 [0.33 per attack charging]
Power spear: 0.75 [0.25 per attack otherwise]
Power fist: 0.84 [0.42 per attack, strikes at initiative one]
Against this type of enemy the Power Maul is the most effective weapon. The old power weapon, along with the Sword are the worst.
Vs WS3/T3/4+
Power weapon: 1.32 [0.44 per attack]
Power sword: 1.32 [0.44 per attack]
Power axe: 1.66 [0.55 per attack, strikes at initiative one]
Power maul: 1.66 [0.55 per attack]
Power spear: 1.66 [0.55 per attack charging]
Power spear: 1.32 [0.55 per attack otherwise]
Power fist: 1.10 [0.55 per attack, strikes at initiative one]
Against horde style enemies, it also appears the Power Maul is the most efficient. This is because although it shares its damage output with the Power Spear and the Power Axe, it has its power in all the rounds of combat, and doesn't strike last.
Overall looking at these weapons a general picture is emerging. The Power Maul is the weapon of choice if the enemy do not have power armour. If they do you want power swords, and if they are likely to have a load of terminators, you want a Power Axe. The spear is an interesting weapon, offering a boost in the first round, before becoming the worst weapon in subsequent rounds. Armies with low strength and high initiative and attacks will benefit the most from taking a Power Spear, so most likely Eldar, although I guess it is possible marines could get some use from it. As before the Power Fist offers the most utility, being effective against everything
Vs WS4/T4/4+
Power weapon: 0.75 [0.25 per attack]
Power sword: 0.75 [0.25 per attack]
Power axe: 0.99 [0.33 per attack, strikes at initiative one]
Power maul: 1.25 [0.42 per attack]
Power spear: 0.99 [0.33 per attack charging]
Power spear: 0.75 [0.25 per attack otherwise]
Power fist: 0.84 [0.42 per attack, strikes at initiative one]
Against this type of enemy the Power Maul is the most effective weapon. The old power weapon, along with the Sword are the worst.
Vs WS3/T3/4+
Power weapon: 1.32 [0.44 per attack]
Power sword: 1.32 [0.44 per attack]
Power axe: 1.66 [0.55 per attack, strikes at initiative one]
Power maul: 1.66 [0.55 per attack]
Power spear: 1.66 [0.55 per attack charging]
Power spear: 1.32 [0.55 per attack otherwise]
Power fist: 1.10 [0.55 per attack, strikes at initiative one]
Against horde style enemies, it also appears the Power Maul is the most efficient. This is because although it shares its damage output with the Power Spear and the Power Axe, it has its power in all the rounds of combat, and doesn't strike last.
Overall looking at these weapons a general picture is emerging. The Power Maul is the weapon of choice if the enemy do not have power armour. If they do you want power swords, and if they are likely to have a load of terminators, you want a Power Axe. The spear is an interesting weapon, offering a boost in the first round, before becoming the worst weapon in subsequent rounds. Armies with low strength and high initiative and attacks will benefit the most from taking a Power Spear, so most likely Eldar, although I guess it is possible marines could get some use from it. As before the Power Fist offers the most utility, being effective against everything
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