Deep Striking Terminators

[minigun762]

Whenever I see Terminators in a Chaos list, my gut instinct is to say "go buy a Land Raider for them!"

 

However I'm stepping back a second and asking this question, when is it appropriate not to shell out the points for a Land Raider and instead rely on deep striking the Terminators in to do their business.

 

My first thought is the "Termi-cide" squads, usually made of 3 Terminators armed with some variety of Combi-Weapons which drop in, smoke the target and then hope to survive the rest of the battle if they're lucky. Such a squad is cheap, coming in at 105 points which is typically less than their intended targets and so the sacrifice is normally worth it, but what other times is it viable to deep strike?

[Seahawk]

All the time, except when facing Tyranids or Orks, but then you'd got for combi-flamers and heavy flamer and you'd be deep striking anyway. I don't think I've actually played a game with them starting on the field. I never use termicide either, as that's just wasteful. Usually it's somewhere between 5-10 with all sorts of upgrades. My terminators are generalist units, as that's my style. However, I can pull models from different units to give them direction; 4 combi-meltas and chainfists for instance.

[Drudge Dreadnought]

I've always been a fan of the 5 man units with 4 combi plas, heavy flamer, power fist, and IoCG. Nice 195 point squad that really puts the pain down and has been known to make its points back on the turn it lands.

[the jeske]

2x3 termi kamikaze units all the way great meta choice never useless [not even in kp scenarios] . very flexible , because your buying a combi weapon for them not a combi plasma or melta so magnets all the way . the rush build is better with zerkers or pms , the termi unit [and its offten joined by an HQ] just costs too much for a non scoring hth unit that is rather slow .

[Dràyhèn]

I always rely on deepstrike to get the job done. With homers you can get them to almost any part on the battlefield, with wise deployment and proper distribution of icons. Never have my termies went out of battlefield, ran, or been destroyed during ds. And they've always gotten into a place from where to rain down a curtain of fire, and I use them in every single 1-1,5k game. They're yet to fail me during deepstriking, they've never died in vain, always gotten something broken or destroyed. Landraider isn't needed to get the job done. I'd only ever use it when playing against horde armies, and even then it's 50/50.

[minigun762]

I'm surprised by the number of people responding positively to deepstriking Terminators.

 

The reason I mentioned this, besides the constant review of our available units and tactics, was to examine the viability of deepstriking a Terminator Sorcerer with Wind of Chaos along with a 5 man Terminator squad with a Heavy Flamer, basically dropping 2 nasty Templates on a unit and assaulting something afterwards.

[Justicar Shodan]

What do you prefer for deep striking termis, heavy flamer or the reaper autocannon?

 

The flamer is a lot cheaper but i would prefer the reaper. If you scatter too far away you cant use the flamer and maybe there will be no second round to fire it :whoops:

[Dràyhèn]

Termies don't need a second chance, they need only one :) I prefer flamer, because it doesn't really matter if you can't shoot it, it's just 5pts loss, not a big deal now, is it? Reaper, on the other hand, is five times more expensive and does nothing against MEQs, with a luck to vehicles. And with TL-bolter, you get the same result against horde. So, what's the point?

[minigun762]

What do you prefer for deep striking termis, heavy flamer or the reaper autocannon?

 

Deepstriking or popping out of a Land Raider, I'd go with the Heavy Flamer anyday, even if they were the same price, I think its better when you're that close.

 

If you were footslogging your squad, then I'd go with the Reaper.

Most people don't think about footslogging them and honestly its not the optimal setup, but 3 Terminators and a Reaper only run you 115 points or 10 points more than the Termi-cide squads and would be decent at knocking out transports and such. I could see them working side by side a unit of Obliterators, providing the dakka that Obliterators lack and a counter assault unit for them.