The importance of Long range firepower

[White Hunter]

How much long range/support firepower should you have for an army? I was doing my army build, and I started to notice that there was a distinct lack of Long range firepower.

 

Looking at an assault heavy force with 2 units of (5-6 models) WG in 2xLRC's with MM and 3 units of Grey hunters with 2x meltas in Rhinos. That seems like alot of drive by melta goodness, So I was wondering how much Long range fire is necessary in a force like this?

 

Thanks for helping a blood claw.

[Hfran Morkai]

I'd suggest either a long Fang pack armed with missile launchers for a cheap build, or you could go with a ven dread with Lascannon and missile launcher. Perhaps a whirlwind?

 

I normally run one or two units with range greater than 24 inches, then again I drop in a melta ven for some easy kills.

[Toasterfree]

How much long range/support firepower should you have for an army? I was doing my army build, and I started to notice that there was a distinct lack of Long range firepower.

 

Looking at an assault heavy force with 2 units of (5-6 models) WG in 2xLRC's with MM and 3 units of Grey hunters with 2x meltas in Rhinos. That seems like alot of drive by melta goodness, So I was wondering how much Long range fire is necessary in a force like this?

 

Thanks for helping a blood claw.

i would go also with a LF unit, out of new dex this is my load out, 2x las and 2x HB with a ML. this gives me three AT weapons if i need them, and three AP weapons.

 

i would also suggest a DREAD, with a LAS and maybe a autocannon, i find it to be more versitile then missiles.

[Lord Ragnarok]

Close range is great and all, but sometimes you want to be further away from the enemy (orks, nids, guard tanks)

[Night Runner]

Nearly every one likes to keep the LF as support and under cover, and that is sound advice. But I think I will try them in a more aggressive role; as an anti-personnel support unit up close with my GH and WG. Give them 4HB + MM + ML in a Razoback, and send them up with a GH pack to hold an obective. Cheap, hard as nails and deadly as sin! Better still your enemies wont be expecting it. After they see the terrain they'll automatically think you'll put your LF somewhere high up and in cover and arrange a defence to counteract the threat, maybe wasting a round trying to redeploy afterwards. It's something to keep in mind.

[Hfran Morkai]

Nearly every one likes to keep the LF as support and under cover, and that is sound advice. But I think I will try them in a more aggressive role; as an anti-personnel support unit up close with my GH and WG. Give them 4HB + MM + ML in a Razoback, and send them up with a GH pack to hold an obective. Cheap, hard as nails and deadly as sin! Better still your enemies wont be expecting it. After they see the terrain they'll automatically think you'll put your LF somewhere high up and in cover and arrange a defence to counteract the threat, maybe wasting a round trying to redeploy afterwards. It's something to keep in mind.

 

I suppose with the reduction in points costs using them like this might not be too bad an idea.

[clanfield]

i always have a long fang pack and a vindicator,my long fangs are 3 ml 3 lc and they have a dedicated grey hunter body guard squad that takes the hits for em

[Natanael]

I am thinking of taking 2 Long Fangs pack w/ RB with TL AC. Not very expensive, but with 2x LC & 3x HB each, they can dish out a lot of pain against everything. Then maybe I'll have to get a vindicator, just to soak up some fire.

[greese_m0nkey]

I sat down with the dex at my local G.W. Store and started a list. A pack of 5 Long Fangs with HB's and a SGT in a razer back with TLHB cost a total of 155

 

points. Thats a hole lot of troop killing for 5 pionts more than a 10 man pack of GH with nothing added.

[El Scotcho]

I'm unsure, but I think I might run my long fangs with 2 Lascannons and 3 Plasma Cannons or Missile Launchers, in a lascannon armed razorback. I imagine I will prolly use the razorback as a line of sight blocker and a 3rd lascannon, that can reroll misses, until it gets popped, but i may run a more close support oriented long fang pack, with 2 plasma cannons, 2 heavy bolters and a lascannon, in a drop pod, hanging out with Logan Grimnar so that they can move and shoot. Luckily I'm going to magnetizing most of my new army, so switching out arms will be no big deal. As for my other heavy slots,, I anticipate taking land raiders, as I can forsee needing a way to move troops under heavy fire, but only in big games would I break them out.

[clanfield]

i tend to find razor backs draw a lot more fire than rhinos and by haveing a attached unit of grey hunters i get a reserve for late in the game

 

im toying with long fangs with 2 hb 2 pc 1 ml

[White Hunter]

long fang's always seemed to static to me, they can't shoot first turn and then if you ever want to move them around then you lose a turn of shooting. They loose the mobility/utility of a unit like the predator, though they cost way less.

[And a Barrel of Ale]

they may seem static Whitehunter. but they will still pump out more firepower than a Predator regaurdless.

if you have to move your longfangs for one turn then you are in a position to shoot 5 shots next turn.

and with a predator you are getting 4 shots(assuming you both move them once and then shoot next turn)

[bravelybravesirrobin]

How much long range/support firepower should you have for an army? I was doing my army build, and I started to notice that there was a distinct lack of Long range firepower.

 

Looking at an assault heavy force with 2 units of (5-6 models) WG in 2xLRC's with MM and 3 units of Grey hunters with 2x meltas in Rhinos. That seems like alot of drive by melta goodness, So I was wondering how much Long range fire is necessary in a force like this?

 

Thanks for helping a blood claw.

 

It's not essential but it is nice to have.

 

The first thing you need to ask yourself is "do I have the tools to take on every kind of opponent in 40k" by which I mean do I have sufficient anti-tank, anti-horde, a way to deal with elite assault units, etc.

 

Looking at that list you have sufficient horde and anti-tank (although relying on meltas for anti-tank makes you vulnerable to monoliths) so long range firepower is not strictly necessary. You can base your tactics on using assault and short range guns to deal with foes.

 

However adding some kind of long range firepower opens up new tactics. It lets you deal with say an all bike eldar army that can otherwise stay out of range of your 12-24" guns. It lets you deal damage whilst the enemy advances if you decide to adopt a defensive position (against say Daemonhunters or tyranids. Not orks, CHARGE orks! :P ) And if you have both long range weaponry and scoring capacity (GH's with an attached cyclone wolfguard, GH's in a razorback) you can park it on a home objective and reach out and touch somebody whilst securing an objective.

 

 

Considering you're running a mechanised list I reccomend adding either preds, vindicators, whirlwinds, razorbacks or dreads.

 

Why? To maximise survivability. If you add a long fang pack (dirt cheap as they may be) then you just create a target for any long range anti infantry weapons your opponent sports (i.e. battlecannons, lootaz). If you add more armour you stretch your opponents capacity for tank hunting and increase survivability overall.

 

A vindie is a nice fire-magnet and does a lot of damage when it gets to fire. A whirlwind can hide and help with horde clearing. Preds are always a solid choice and can be fitted to add some anti-tank (I advise some lascannons myself) or more anti-infantry guns. Razors can be used to contest/hold objectives (if a squad is inside) and dreads, whilst slower then the rest of your force, offer both guns and a whole new set of tactical options. Nothing tarpits like a dreadnought, except a venerable dreadnought :)