Let's talk about heavy bolters

[ShinyRhino]

I've been mulling over the use of heavy bolters, the one weapon I have precious few of in my army. In fact, I only own one, on a scout model.

 

The heavy bolter looks to be an anti-infantry weapon, though it could glance a Sentinel or Rhino rear armor.

 

How do folks best utilize this weapon?

 

I don't run heavy weapons in my tactical squads. I like to pod-drop them, or put them in a Rhino. That way my troops are quicker, and can fire everything on the move when making for an objective. I suppose you could park a squad on your objective in a Take and Hold mission, and gun down approaching troop models.

 

But with so many other ways to get heavy bolters, is this a good choice? A devastator squad can load up on far more of these, making for a harrowing defensive firing line. But, they can't keep the objective, only contest it. I suppose that might be enough, if you have enough to take the opponent's objective.

 

How about vehicles like the Predator, Razorback, and Landspeeder? One would think a mobile platform would be the best anti-infantry unit, instead of a "cannot move and shoot" unit like Devastators or a tactical squad. However, the new vehcile movement rules are fuzzy to me at the moment. The Predator sponsons cannot fire if it moves. Can the Razorback's turret HBs fire if it moves? How about the Landspeeder?

 

So, what are the best tactics for utilizing the heavy bolter in its "intended" role as an infantry killer?

[DarKHaZZ13]

you want to use ehavy bolters?

razorbacks

Landspeeders

and attack bikes

 

they're good at anti infantry thats for sure

but as soon as you come up against anything that isn't an ork, nid or troop heavy list your boned

 

don't waste pread loadouts with heavy bolters,

same goes for devs

theres better weapons to be had...

 

my 2p

[werewolf_nr]

I usually attach a scout heavy bolter to my sniper squad. Since they target infantry almost exclusively anyway, it isn't a loss.

 

While the 36" range of the heavy bolter can dominate a large portion of the board, they require the sight lines to do it. And while S5 can only do anything to light vehicles on a 5 or 6, you have up to 12 shots to do it with so they aren't totally worthless against all vehicles, just most tanks.

 

I personally feel like a heavy bolter is better suited to being attached to a tactical squad than a devestator squad. A devestator squad w/ 4 ML would devestate infantry very effectively as well as do a number of vehicles and would be better suited to a general use roll. However, I do not know who you normally play against, but you should take that into accout as well.

 

The Warhammer 40k players at my local game store tend to be vehicle heavy making HBs of limited use. Right up until one of them showed up with a horde of orks that nobody could kill fast enough.

 

EDIT: cleared up a little ambiguity on my part.

[minigun762]

I've always thought that Heavy Bolters would be more useful in your Tactical squads as well. Typically they exist to shoot the crap out of enemy infantry and a Heavy Bolter almost always helps in that regard. The only issue is that it might make you want to stand around and shoot vs moving and rapid firing, but thats always a difficult choice.

Razorbacks are also nice, especially if they receive the price reduction of the Rhino. You can get a TL'd Heavy Bolter that can move 6" and fire for 55 points, that ain't bad. About the same as the Land Speeder but better armor and a transport.

[Techmarine Harkus]

Im not a fan of speeders or attack bikes... but in tactical squads or on a razorback definitely nice. With combat squads, ill probably see less use of heavy bolters in tactical squads, because i wont mind leaving a handfull of bolters doing nothing while a missile launcher or similar gets used against harder targets. Since tac squads wont get a heavy weapon unless there are 10 of them, but still get a veteran sgt even if there are just 5 , then razorback with heavy bolters makes a nice bit of cheap extra firepower for a small unit that, assuming sgt upgrades arent too expensive, can hold its own in combat, and just generally get into the enemy lines.

I have used a 4HB devastator squad a few times, but didnt really like the points cost for the amount of firepower... you might as well get a tactical squad, and use the extra bolters to do some troop killing. With the way blast templates work now, Im definitely going to use missile launchers a lot more.. unfortunately though, with the changes to tank rules, im unlikely to put them in a devastator squad, because S8 isnt enough against main battle tanks anymore.

Back on topic however... I do love predator destructors with heavy bolters... They are cheap ish, and are getting cheaper.. plenty of firepower, and can leave your marines to get stuck in, rather than hanging around using heavy weapons from afar. Annihilators on the other hand, I dont like giving heavy bolters.. I just feel it makes it less useful. I prefer specialisation to generalisation when it comes to units, and roll them together to make a list that is general.

[Marek Grimfang]

Heavy Bolter paired with a Melta Gun in a Tac Squad is the perfect Anti-Infantry and Armour hunting squad. Its not 100% of either, but a good mix of both.

[Captain Antonius]

I'm a big fan of the heavy bolter. I use them in my tac squads as well as my scouts. Devastators tend to use Plasma Cannons and Anti-tank weapons (ie., the Lascannon and Missile Launcher). I figure that in a defensive role my tac squads need that added firepower to hold thier ground. And then in an offensive role, we need to move and/or provide cover fire for other squads advancing.

 

Either way, the Heavy Bolter is standard equipment in my battle company.

[Shiodome]

is there any point in taking heavy bolters in tactical squads though with the new blast rules making missile launchers so much better. you could have a HB hitting twice a turn, or a missile launcher which seems to hit 3 or 4 a turn on average for me (placing the template where ever will give best chance to scatter favourably). Alongside the added bonus of having krak missiles if no troops should present themselves. if a missile launcher does roughly the same damge to troops as a heavy bolter, but has the option to go for tanks etc also, why take a heavy bolter?

[Ming]

I currently favor tactical squads to have the heavier heavy weapons (las, plas, mm), and let devs use MLs or HBs. The reason in part is to save points (efficiency is the 4th power of army selection, after mobility = leadership - firepower); with new-dex combat squads will likely continue the practise. This also give me tactical flexibility - the LCs and PCs or MMs can select different targets if needed when applied to tac squads. Leave the ML / HB dev squads to crunch on hordes....one dang big unit at a time...The points I save doing this allows upgrades to sergeants and such...

[revmatt]

I tend to have anti tank in tactical squads, so I run 2 heavy bolter dev squads in my blood ravens,

 

They dish out some serious hurt, even against MEQ due to the sheer volume of dice.

 

between them they killed an avatar recently!

 

rev

[Godwyn]

While not the most tactically sound, I've found that a devastator squad with 4 Hvy Bolters is great fun. With 12 dice to roll you can do a lot to infantry if you set up a decent fire lane. I've even considered putting Lysander in with them to re-roll the misses, though I think even I know better than that... I think. I play against a troop heavy Tau army mostly, so it's fairly decent, but I don't suggest it for others. Sure is fun though.

[Lord Melvin]

I have a rather mobile shooty army, which creates some interesting shooting phases. However, I find that Land Speeders make good use of heavy bolters. 12" for movement, plus being able to fire to full effect and only taking glancing hits is a pretty good trade for the weakest armor in the game.

[Askari]

in my experience they aren't really too great at anti infantry except against smaller T3 armor 4+ units like eldar and firewarriors. Aginst real horde troops they don't have enough shots so a missile launcher or some other blast weapon is better at light infantry killing and against heavy infantry their aren't enough shots to forced the units to fail saves. Blast and templtes are really the best anti infantry devices. Your dev's should be focused either on anti tank or on using plasma cannons for anti heavy infantry and all other units can't take enough to make it worth its points.

[Grindgodgrind]

No matter what army I face, I usually run a unit of 3 Attack Bikes all with HB's. They're not only useful against infantry, but also good against light armour and skimmers.

[Leethal]

I use large amounts in my new balanced list. If you're curious, take a look

 

I use DA Codex.

 

Ezekial

5 Razorbacks with HB

5 10 Man Tacitcal Squads with Flamers and Lascannons.

Use the Razorbacks to block LoS, and basically backpedalling walls against horde lists, Lascannons take out anything big or dangerous, the Flamer is for the stuff that gets too close. Fairly useful, currently 4 for 5 with it.

[Melissia]

Heavy Bolters work awesomely for fire support in a Sisters of Battle army, but then, it's one of only two weapons we have taht's over 24" in range so I wouldn't call it useless. But then, we also have acces to Divine Guidance.

[Grindgodgrind]

Too true, HB's that can be AP1 are frightening.

[Melissia]

Especially since we have four models in a Retributor squad that can have it, so that means usually two AP1 shots per use of Divine Guidance (as it only counts as AP1 if it causes a wound on a roll of 6), and up to twelve if you're insanely lucky. Ah, the randomness of dice rolls.

[Grindgodgrind]

Tell you what, I played my buddies Witchhunters today, and he hit an Assault Squad with two Divinely Guided flamers. Nasty, I tell you.

[badger nine]

Heavy bolters hurt Tau...badly. STR 5 AP 4, it tears up Firewarriors like you would tear up a peice of paper. Get two of those heavy bolters firing at a squad of Firewarriors that get flatfooted out in the open, chances are their gonna have to take a morl test. The only infantry units that can really stand up to Heavy Bolter firing is Crisis suits and Broadsides. And then tanks, unless your hitting rear armour.

[Captain Antonius]

The heavy bolter just got better in tac squads because of the new codex. They are free with every ten men and with the flexibility of combat squads, you can keep you heavy bolter firing and move up with your free flamer combat squad. Hoo-ah! Shooty-burny death teams!

[Grey Mage]

I like them on razorbacks or Predator sponsons.... otherwise its a rare day but Ill put them on longfangs verses tyranids.

[Vagrant Benthos]

As a personal preference I have always liked 4 HB Dev squads and my AT weapons in my Tac Squads. Mostly I think I just like to fire off 12 HB shots a turn. It gives most any infantry pause as it cuts through a lot of models. Heck, it even gives me pause if my marines are on the receiving end of those 4 HBs. Although with 5th edition blast rules, I haven't yet tried 4 MLs in a Dev Squad. Why haven't I tried that out yet? Apparently I have a mission this weekend when I get to play again.

[Battle-Captain Garro]

I take heavy bolters for one main reason, they look so damn cool! My Devastator Squad has two Lascannons for AT and two Heavy Bolters for AP. I split the unit into combat squads, one with the Sergeant and two lascannons and the other with the two heavy bolters. I have a balanced AT/AP support unit and I get to use the funky looking Heavy Bolter.

[robdark1]

i would only take heavly bolter on transport or heavly support because they can move in to a better positon where if inf move then you spend an entire turn wasting on movement in stead of shooting . also on transport based unit that give you peice of support in an army that make it harder to kill a vechle