Chosen fireteam issues

[flintlocklaser]

Well, I've just posted what I think will basically be my Purge list on the Army List forum, but I had some lingering doubts about one unit I'm planning. It's a 5 man Chosen unit, kitted up to be an infiltrating firebase. Due to points crunch, it's 1 heavy bolter, 3 plasmaguns, and one combi-plasma (in addition to saving 5 points, the combi-plasma is a 'different' model for the new 5th ed casualty rules). My problem, as some of you might remember, is that in the army overall there are a lot of IoCGs and only a few IoNs. I can justify IoCG on rank-and-file guys, even on bikers, but I really do feel like the Chosen (along with their Termie brethren) really need to have the Icon of Nurgle on them. Is a five man squad enough for the job I have in mind for them - infiltrate into a building or good cover and rain fire on the hapless foe - or do I really need to smoke out a few blocks of points elsewhere and put more bodies in this squad?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Smurfalypse]

Can also take a rhino and i think the unit can attempt to outflank the enemy and come on a short board edge. If you do this that allows you to roll up and unload 12 inches from the board edge, get out and rapid fire plasma on a unit, most likely wiping it out. Just another way to try and use em since 5 might be a little weak sauce against the return fire.

[flintlocklaser]

The Rhino outflank sounds somewhat appealing - but if I had 35-40 extra points would I get more payoff by buying 2 more Chosen and sticking with the initial "infiltrate" plan?

[Chaplain Invictus]

My chosen loadout is for anti-tank response and tends to work quite well.

5 chosen

5 melta guns

Chaos glory

rhino with combi melta and dozer.

 

total cost is 200 pts. Its an expensive unit points per model-wise, but it just about guarantees a tank kill, perhaps two if they happen to survive. You can make the squad cheaper by dropping the icon, dozer and combi as well. I do have to say my favorite plasma death squad was havocs.

 

5 havocs

4 plasma guns

asp with combi plasma

rhino with dozer and combi plasma.

 

No infiltrate advantage, but is still a nice counter unit against termies and such.

[chillin]

I use a 5 man chosen firebase unit often and it wks well, but you've made yours too expensive/given them too many plaz. You want some "naked" models so each loss isn't a 33 pt loss.

Bump the HB up to a ML so you can pop some tanks and take 1 or 2 plaz max, definetly lose the combiplaz ( a plasma gun that shots once...no thanks).

As for you problem fluffwise of them being "chosen" and not having IoN, don't think of them as "chosen", but infiltrators...specialist. "Chosen" sounds like a lords retinue anyway (like in csm dex 3.5) whitch is totally different then an infiltrating squad, really just a poor choice of squad name to go with a haphazard codex IMO, so don't get hung up on the name "chosen"

Using them to outflank requires a whole different job discription and requires a whole different, and larger squad/more expensive squad for a different purpose.

[chillin]

My chosen loadout is for anti-tank response and tends to work quite well.

5 chosen

5 melta guns

Chaos glory

rhino with combi melta and dozer.

 

total cost is 200 pts. Its an expensive unit points per model-wise, but it just about guarantees a tank kill, perhaps two if they happen to survive.

-

I must say I don't understand this squad. If they only kill 1 tank (which you say is usually the case) and that tank is not a LR, they haven't even made their pts back. A 3 man termi squad w 3 combimeltas

guarantees a tank kill and cost 1/2 the pts.

[Chaplain Invictus]

Not necessarily a tank kill with 3 shots. Not counting good chance of deepstrike problems coming to within 12" of a tank, let alone the 6" needed for melta's extra D6 armor pen.

 

I'll start with stats of mine and such.

rhino can move and disembark troops, potentially having the meltas hit targets 26" away from board edge(12" rhino movement, 2" edisembarking, 12" range).

 

So 5 melta shots at their full range there, thats 3.3 hits, assuming they are not within the 6" for second D6, Semi decent chance of doing something constructive since its AP1.

 

Now lets assume same squad goes after a tank that is 20" from board edge, granting them their extra D6. 3.3 hits, each gets 2D6 for melta rules. Being AP 1 meaning the chances of killing the tank are almost guaranteed.

 

 

 

 

Ok, 3 terminators with combis. total 105 pts.let's assume you you don't scatter too far too shoot, but are close enough to get the extra D6. Keep in mind 2/3 of the time you won't land where you want to, meaning too far, or death. You land, nicely right next to tank. 2 hits. We'll say they are within 6' for the extra D6. Good chance or penetrating and death.

 

Other scenario, termies are barely within reach. 2 hits, no melta modifier so those two need to count. decent to good chance of tank no longer working.

 

Last scenario, termies don't get anywhere near the tank, or worse yet, simply die.

 

 

 

I'm not saying the units i use are amazing, but they do get the job done. I would rather take a slight kick in an area points wise than say have an undamaged Skyray, Fireprism, Predator, Landraider, Defiler, etc harassing my other units because a gamble unit didn't pull it off for me. Plus if the unit does get demolished, then thats less fire on other units that should be working toward the win.

[chillin]

:)

[Joah from Alberta]

All I gotta say is 3 + 3 + 3 Oblits makes 9!

 

Cheers,

[flintlocklaser]

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. After some comments on my army list I think I will be shelving the Chosen unit for now, possibly fielding them if/when I ever get my poor neglected Word Bearers off the ground, as I feel they'll fit that style better than the mechanized siege/assaulty force I'm trying to make my Purge as. But the discussion here has helped me think about this unit for the future. Thanks again!

[Smurfalypse]

Chosen x10 w/ two meltaguns, two flamers, powerfist, rhino w/combi melta....Now thats a unit, they come on an edge and either flamer/bolter a squad or unload on a tank, then the rhino can pop a different tank or the unit can unload on a squad and the rhino can harp on a vehicle...Pure gold i say :devil: This is all for less than 300pts so a decently priced unit for what they can accomplish IMO.

[Romulas]

a friend keeps putting a bug in my ear:

 

10 chosen, aspiring champion with plasma pistol (or combi), 5 plasma guns. Icon of Tzeench for the inv save or Icon of Nurgle for toughness. i think i like toughness although the poopy marines still disgust me...

 

using infiltration get into a piece of terrain and have a 24" sphere where you deny the opponent any movement, or at least have a 12" sphere of annihilation.