Plasma pistols

[nexus night]

Hey peoples

Is it worth the points on taking a plasma pistol on a vss in normal squads or just have her with a bolter?

[jeffersonian000]

Unless your goal is to martyr your VSS via an expensive piece of wargear, its rarely worth taking a plasma pistol on any 1 wound model.

 

SJ

[Captain Malachi]

The odds of actually killing yourself from a plasma shot on a 3+ save model is 1/18, it's a perfectly valid option, though I can't comment on the use of it in a sister army as I don't play them.

[RandomGuy]

I agree plasma is not the best idea for sisters. I much prefer bolters, bolt pistols or braziers on my VSS depending on use. In extreme situations I can also see the use of a storm bolter.

 

Random Guy

[WarriorFish]

The 12" range matches the double tapping bolters, but I think that a combi weapon is the best bet since you're unlikely to get much benefit from using a pistol. So if you want some plasma, you might want to consider a combi-plasma instead - that way you can shoot at longer range with the bolters or make the most of it and get 2 shots at 12".

[Melissia]

I'd concur with combiplasmas rather than plasma pistols. The only time I'd consider a plasma pistol is on a seraphim or celestian superior, as these are more CC oriented.

[Toogeloo]

Plasma Pistols on VSS Seraphim is some what useful. I have had many successes with it, and though I find the 15 point cost somewhat expensive, it does match my VSS model (Eviscerator and Plasma Pistol loadout) so in WYSIWYG games, I tend to field them.

[Eltnot]

I don't run them on a VSS nor am I ever likely to.

 

If you want some extra grunt, a combi plasma or combi melta is generally going to be all you need and is cheaper. If you're wanting the pistol for the extra attack in HtH, it isn't worth it. By the time you give a VSS an Eviscerator and a Plasma Pistol, she's got 40 points worth of wargear just waiting to get killed and doesn't get any benefit from the pistol. A VSS with power weapon and plasma pistol is cheaper, but won't do a terrible lot in HtH that I've found (Just too hard to wound most targets).

[Apogee]

It annoys me that msot of my Superiors have the plasma/Eviscerator or bolter/power sword loadout. I don't ever get the +1 attack bonus, unless I call the Eviscerator a Chainsword instead. Which I do sometimes.

[Eltnot]

I don't ever get the +1 attack bonus, unless I call the Eviscerator a Chainsword instead. Which I do sometimes.

Those models are chainswords. The only SoB models that have Eviscerators are Repentia, and the Eviscerator arm on the current Canoness model.

[Apogee]

Wouldn't that imply then that we can never have WYSIWYG Eviscerators? Most people I play just assume they are.

[Melissia]

They are "counts as" eviscerators, not ACTUAL eviscerators. Those models are bolter+chainsword, but because eviscerators are basicly oversized chainswords, chainswords can count as eviscerators.

[Eltnot]

Wouldn't that imply then that we can never have WYSIWYG Eviscerators? Most people I play just assume they are.

They're not hard to convert, I chop mine off Repentia models and then pin them to the handle of the old power/chain sword. I'll post up some piccies if I remember when I get home.

[ArmouredWing]

Plasma pistols are an ok option although not something I'd tend to rely on. That said I have used them on a vet in a standard squad in addition to a bolter or combi weapon.

I look at it this way, a combi plasma gun is only of use for a max of 2 shots at 12". Compare that to a plasma pistol and I think it's fair to say that, bang for buck, you're looking a bit better especially as you can potentially fire each turn.

 

If nothing else it's a good 'hold out' weapon, something to hold in reserve when you're facing something that you couldn't otherwise wound.

[Melissia]

Perhaps that is so, Armoured Wing, but if your enemy gets within rapid fire range of your Sisters, you're probably going to be assaulted unless you utterly decimate them. That's why people like the combiplasma a bit more, lets you get more shots out during the turns before the inevitable assault.

[ArmouredWing]

Perhaps that is so, Armoured Wing, but if your enemy gets within rapid fire range of your Sisters, you're probably going to be assaulted unless you utterly decimate them. That's why people like the combiplasma a bit more, lets you get more shots out during the turns before the inevitable assault.

Can't disagree with you there just pointing out that if you've got the points and the inclination you can have both a combi-plasma gun as well as a plasma pistol on a Vet. The other thing worth considering is that rolling 1 die for a plasma weapon means that you've only got the 1 'gets hot' test to worry about.

 

It's horses for courses but something that people may not have considered in the bigger scale of things.

[Melissia]

Perhaps, but it also means you cause fewer wounds. Sometimes if you choose safety over firepower, you don't get either in the end.