MM & MG in Tactical Squads

[Brother Cassern]

Can this lay out be used efficiently? I was thinking about taking double-melta in the same list but then decided maybe a Plasma Gun would be a better choice as it's range would keep up with the Multi-Melta's.

[eyescrossed]

If you DS them in a drop pod, they can be useful.

[greatcrusade08]

Used in any transport i guess they can be used well, the only disadvantage to melta weapons is thier range....

 

GC08

[Koremu]

I find that the Meltagun and the Multi-Melta don't really work very well together. The Meltagun is so short ranged that movement to get its Melta effect to kick in is pretty much inevitable. The Multi-Melta is better adapted to static position holding, and yes, Plasma Gun + Multi-Melta is a very useful Tactical Squad setup for ground-holding, as it's concentrated firepower is a threat to everything, with a unified range-banding.

 

To go with the Meltagun I prefer a Heavy Bolter. Its presence balances the AT element of the Meltagun.

[StormTAG]

I love the MM/MG combo. Keep in mind, that I use the MM solely as back up for an other wise mobile squad. I take the multi-melta as my free heavy as it's one more melta shot when something scary breaths down my neck. You'd be wasting the ML range and the HB works fine but I already have plenty of anti-horde in the 16 rapid fire bolter rounds.

[Imperator Mos]

Only if they're gonna combat squad and you plan on moving the MG team. I like MM+Flamer in a pod

[Blitzkrieg861]

I've been using plasmagun and rocket launcher just because thats what I have painted. I think the melta gun would more or less be a waste with almost any heavy. To get the most out of this weapon you have to be within 6" of your target which almost always will require you to move and thus making every heavy weapon useless for that round. It's for reasons like this that I usually combat squad my guys. But at the same time, it makes them really squishy at only 5 models per unit. But it does let me have my attacking/advancing section of my unit with my plasmagun (maybe flamer soon) and my sergeant with power weapon/fist charge up the field while my rocket launcher dusts targets from inside a building or some sort of cover far back from their reaches.

 

I have noticed that against assaulty armies this forces them to spread out a bit more to deal with your threats, but also makes them stop those threats more easily. Against shooty armies this is a bad idea. I would probably just drop pod them behind enemy lines and drop shots on them. Plasma and Multi-Melta would do well, or Plasma/Plasma even

[Reclusiarch Darius]

The multi-melta simply doesn't work as a heavy weapon in Tactical squads. Enemy tanks usually either have weapons with more than 24" range or can move rapidly to escape your Run move the previous turn. Being a heavy weapon, it chains the unit (or the Combat squad) to a set location, cos you can't fire and move.

 

The multi-melta is an excellent weapon on an Attack Bike or a Landspeeder, where their high speed and ability to fire while moving means you can catch enemy tanks.

 

Overall, I think the best heavy weapon for Tactical squads is the plasma cannon. It's dirt cheap, burns through armour and FNP saves, and with it's blast and high Strength it can hurt pretty much any infantry you target. Sure, cover saves and invulnerable saves will defeat it, but repeated fire from AP2 blast weapons breaks 4+ cover and the typically 5+ invul of most targets. Set up the squad (or Combat squad) in a good sniping position and they'll rain hell on infantry. Overheat is annoying but it's rare you'll lose the gunner (1/18 probability IIRC). It's really a small risk for a big pay-off; there are very few non-MC's in 40k who can walk through plasma cannon fire without fear. The vanilla TH+SS guys maybe, but activating 'Null Zone' on them should cause a few casualties.

 

 

As for the meltagun, it and the plasma gun are probably the two best special weapons for Tactical squads. The plasma gun rapid-fires just like the squad bolters, and the meltagun (while short-ranged) allows the squad to engage enemy armour on the move (typically from a Rhino/Razorback hatch). Seeing as Tactical squads are primarily suited to engaging enemy infantry (otherwise you just waste the bolters), I usually go with plasma, but if you expect enemy walkers or several tanks, it's good for redundancy (that said your Attack Bikers and Landspeeders should be supporting your Tactical squads with multi-meltas).

[Marlow]

I find Gets Hot to be quite anoying with the plasma Cannon. In last weeks game my PC overheated on three of its five shots! It is not a bad choice in Tactical Squads, I am just not convinced that is it the best.

 

I do like Melta Guns as the specialist weapon in the squad. It gives them a decent shot at tanks if they get close and the whole squad can then assault the occupants (assuming it goes boom)

[eyescrossed]

I find Gets Hot to be quite anoying with the plasma Cannon. In last weeks game my PC overheated on three of its five shots! It is not a bad choice in Tactical Squads, I am just not convinced that is it the best.

Basing a weapon's worth on bad luck is like saying the Carribbean isn't a great summer place because someone gets mauled from a rabid rabbit here and there.

It's bad luck, simple.

[Allerka]

If you're doing a Drop Pod list, MMs are the way to go as a supplement to MGs. Throw in a combi-melta on your sergeants if you can, and you've got an army that'll wreck a mechanized list (and still take chunks out of MCs). And, if you like, you can Combat Squad them up, so the SGT and MG can go charging forward, and the MM can stay put and keep blasting things. I just used a list centered around Tactical Squads equipped this way last Sunday, fought mechanized Death Guard, and I tore him apart in two turns or so.

[Bannus]

Basing a weapon's worth on bad luck is like saying the Carribbean isn't a great summer place because someone gets mauled from a rabid rabbit here and there.

I guess it depends on if you were the one mauled by the rabbit. ;)