Devestators as objective/base defense vs vehicles

[thade]

For reference, here is a summary of my current force roster:

 

Librarian, Chaplain, Captain, Vulkan

 

7-man airborne vanguard (2x lit claw, 2x pf, thunder hammer, 4 guys with only storm shields)

2x 10-man assault marine squads (2 flamers, PF)

2x 10-man tactical marine squads (flamer, ML, PF)

Sniper Scout squad w/ Telion

 

Multimelta Dread

Assault Cannon Dread

Techmarine

 

Whirlwind

 

As you can see, my anti-vehicle currently consists of melee (power fists, dreads, techmarine), a multimelta dread, and missile launchers in my marine core. I feel like I have plenty of anti-light infantry, so now that I've acquired a dev squad, I'm thinking it should be solid anti-vehicle. Here's what I'm thinking:

 

Dev squad (3 las cannons, 1 MM, Serg??)

 

Okay, so first off I'm not sure what to put on the Serg...I'm honestly thinking of leaving him with a boltgun and using him as an ablative wound =P instead of bloating up th cost of the dev squad with red shirt marines. I also wonder if I should skip on the MM and just got with a ML or try to get a fourth lascannon (I have 2 from the box and 1 from a blister pack) and just go pure lascannon for the range and punch, and go with the missile launcher for now. I am also considering going with half lascannons/half heavy bolters...but I'm worried that it will lose too much effectiveness if it splits it's abilities that way.

 

I don't (yet) have a drop pod, but I do have a rhino and will soon complete my land raider (not sure I want to waste it moving the dev squad, but it's an option). Also, I have a model with a jetpack and 2x lit claws...I could Counts As him as Shrike, get cheeky, and Infiltrate the Dev Squad somewhere. (Okay, that's probably a silly idea, but it seemed funny enough to mention.) How would you kit out you dev squad? Should I take a few vanilla marines along with it? Or just stick them in cover on/near an objective?

[minigun762]

For a full Dev squad thats geared for anti-tank, I'd do 1 of 2 things.

 

Option 1: There is the safe option and thats 2 Missile Launchers and 2 LasCannons. Hang back @ 48" and blast away. Use the BS5 bonus for a LasCannon. The only downside is this squad is more expensive then going with a few Predators

 

Option 2: This is the wild option and thats 4 Multi-Meltas. You'll need either a Rhino or a Drop Pod. The objective is to get to midfield and create a 24" zone of death. Its important to note that its unlikely you'll get the benefit of the +2D6 rolls as few people will be so bold as to get within 12" with their vehicle. This means what you're really looking for is the AP1 bonus. You still have a chance of destroying AV14 and against weaker armor you're more likely to actually kill the target instead of damaging it. Its also nice for firing at Terminators or 2+ save MCs.

[Muctar]

As you can see, my anti-vehicle currently consists of melee (power fists, dreads, techmarine), a multimelta dread, and missile launchers in my marine core. I feel like I have plenty of anti-light infantry, so now that I've acquired a dev squad, I'm thinking it should be solid anti-vehicle. Here's what I'm thinking:

 

Dev squad (3 las cannons, 1 MM, Serg??)

 

Okay, so first off I'm not sure what to put on the Serg...I'm honestly thinking of leaving him with a boltgun and using him as an ablative wound =P instead of bloating up th cost of the dev squad with red shirt marines. I also wonder if I should skip on the MM and just got with a ML or try to get a fourth lascannon (I have 2 from the box and 1 from a blister pack) and just go pure lascannon for the range and punch, and go with the missile launcher for now. I am also considering going with half lascannons/half heavy bolters...but I'm worried that it will lose too much effectiveness if it splits it's abilities that way.

 

I don't (yet) have a drop pod, but I do have a rhino and will soon complete my land raider (not sure I want to waste it moving the dev squad, but it's an option). Also, I have a model with a jetpack and 2x lit claws...I could Counts As him as Shrike, get cheeky, and Infiltrate the Dev Squad somewhere. (Okay, that's probably a silly idea, but it seemed funny enough to mention.) How would you kit out you dev squad? Should I take a few vanilla marines along with it? Or just stick them in cover on/near an objective?

I say always run 4 weapons that have the same range. That way you won't waste shots from this expensive unit just because the guy with the M-M is always gonna be out of range compared to the LasCannons. And taking at least a few extra marines is worth it to protect your investment. This also means that you can keep the sarge around longer, which is important because the BS5 can help.

 

Option 1: There is the safe option and thats 2 Missile Launchers and 2 LasCannons. Hang back @ 48" and blast away. Use the BS5 bonus for a LasCannon. The only downside is this squad is more expensive then going with a few Predators

This is a good option which helps keeps the cost down. It depends what you're up against, but if you run into a lot of AV14 I'd say find the points somewhere and get 4 Lascannons. If you don't run into a lot of AV14, 4 missile launchers is cheap (as cheap as devs come) and multi-purpose. Good at tank hunting, but can switch to anti-horde or anti-MC if need be.

 

Option 2: This is the wild option and thats 4 Multi-Meltas. You'll need either a Rhino or a Drop Pod. The objective is to get to midfield and create a 24" zone of death. Its important to note that its unlikely you'll get the benefit of the +2D6 rolls as few people will be so bold as to get within 12" with their vehicle. This means what you're really looking for is the AP1 bonus. You still have a chance of destroying AV14 and against weaker armor you're more likely to actually kill the target instead of damaging it. Its also nice for firing at Terminators or 2+ save MCs.

If you run this sort of squad you'll definately need to make it a 10-man since it'll be: 1) a high value target for your enemy 2) can't shoot the turn you drop/disembark 3) will have to sit through a round of enemy shooting, non-HW marines used as bullet sponges

 

This squad would cost 230 points, minimum, plus the cost of transport to make it viable. Once in place though, and if it survives with enough Multi-Meltas intact it will wreck stuff.

 

I personally run a 10-strong squad with 4x ML. Most opponents take a few opening shots at it, I lose a few bolters. Then the rest of my army becomes a much bigger priority and the devs get ignored the rest of the game, which leaves them free to pound away with impunity all game long with all 4 heavy weapons.

[tahrikmili]

I use the following setup:

 

3x Missile Launcher

1x Bolter

1x Sergeant (Bolt Pistol, Chainsword)

 

This unit can deal with pretty much anything unless it gets assaulted. I've thought of adding a Power Fist to it but decided against it. By the time the Sergeant finishes killing the assaulters there'd be nothing left of it to function anyway..

 

If I had the points and models I'd definitely up this to 10 man with 4x Missile Launchers, Combat Squad them with 2 Missile Launchers in each squad and blast away at two targets a turn. Mmm..

[derekbadger]

If i run a Dev squad it's more often than not

 

4xML

1x Sgt.

 

Stick them in cover with a good vantage point and use them to pop light-armour (nothing higher than AV 12) early on, then pop down frag templates to clear the infantry inside, or Kraks to clear out elite infantry.

 

Some extra bodies would be nice i guess for survivability of your heavies, but 150 pts is still cheap enough to not be overly worried if your opponent has to divert his fire power toward them to take them out.

 

I don't really think Dev squads should be going after AV14 targets with lascannons, they're too expensive and too ineffective (5's to glance with AP2). By all means stick a lascannon or two in to give you extra punch against the lighter armour. That to me is what lascannons are about now; popping transports.

 

Reliable AV14 armour hunting is all about up close and personal imo, you want to reliably penetrate and then actually achieve a good result on the damage table, which means melta weapons or ordnance.

[ShinyRhino]

I reallylike that 4xMM, 1x Sergeant, 5x bolters idea in a drop pod. Slam that pod down on Turn One in a dominating position, and watch the havoc ensue. You can even combat squad the unit upon arrival. Want a speed bump to slow down assaulty guys? Split off the bolters into a combat squad. Want to be able to hit more than one tank per turn? Split into two sets of 2xMM.

Hmmmm, very interesting!

[minigun762]

I reallylike that 4xMM, 1x Sergeant, 5x bolters idea in a drop pod. Slam that pod down on Turn One in a dominating position, and watch the havoc ensue. You can even combat squad the unit upon arrival. Want a speed bump to slow down assaulty guys? Split off the bolters into a combat squad. Want to be able to hit more than one tank per turn? Split into two sets of 2xMM.

Hmmmm, very interesting!

 

2 other good things about this squad is that its not expected (most people assume Devs = Missile Launchers in my opinion) and it plays to the aggressive nature of Marines in general. However you have to have an army that can take advantage of this, which means aggressive and mobile.

You don't want your Devs left out in the open by themselves.

 

Think of them as a island to build your advance around.

[tahrikmili]

I reallylike that 4xMM, 1x Sergeant, 5x bolters idea in a drop pod. Slam that pod down on Turn One in a dominating position, and watch the havoc ensue. You can even combat squad the unit upon arrival. Want a speed bump to slow down assaulty guys? Split off the bolters into a combat squad. Want to be able to hit more than one tank per turn? Split into two sets of 2xMM.

Hmmmm, very interesting!

 

I may incorporate this into my blood angels army. what i have in mind is droppoding 4 missile launchers and splitting upon arrival. frag the infantry units, krak the armor and while they wreak havoc bring in the assault squads, death company and honor guard.

[ShinyRhino]

Also an option instead of using a Pod is to attach them to a Librarian with Gate of Infinity. One fewer unit on the table to give up killpoints, and the libby can run off and do his own thing after he gets the Devvies in place, or he can stick with them and use Machine Curse!

[thade]

Also an option instead of using a Pod is to attach them to a Librarian with Gate of Infinity. One fewer unit on the table to give up killpoints, and the libby can run off and do his own thing after he gets the Devvies in place, or he can stick with them and use Machine Curse!

 

That is a WONDERFUL idea. =D I love my librarian; he's virtually always on the table. I will try this out for sure.

[ShinyRhino]

Also an option instead of using a Pod is to attach them to a Librarian with Gate of Infinity. One fewer unit on the table to give up killpoints, and the libby can run off and do his own thing after he gets the Devvies in place, or he can stick with them and use Machine Curse!

 

That is a WONDERFUL idea. =D I love my librarian; he's virtually always on the table. I will try this out for sure.

 

Yeah, Machine Curse is also awesome. Auto-glance on a hit means a lot of non-shooting vehicles!

[thade]

Also an option instead of using a Pod is to attach them to a Librarian with Gate of Infinity. One fewer unit on the table to give up killpoints, and the libby can run off and do his own thing after he gets the Devvies in place, or he can stick with them and use Machine Curse!

 

That is a WONDERFUL idea. =D I love my librarian; he's virtually always on the table. I will try this out for sure.

 

Yeah, Machine Curse is also awesome. Auto-glance on a hit means a lot of non-shooting vehicles!

 

My first (and only) experience using machine curse was vs. a defiler...which is immune to shaken/stunned results (possessed or whatever)...so it fostered a bit of distrust in it. I'll try it again. =)

[ShinyRhino]

Use it against Predators, Vindicators, Russes, and other vehicle you don't want shooting at you, and who don't have the Defiler's ability to ignore shaken/stunned, or that have Power of the Machine Spirit. The auto-glance on a hit is great of rkeeping the guns from firing. And against an Ork open-topped vehicle, can even Wreck it (though Ramshackle does kick in then).