IST Weapon Selection

[Darkmagi]

After playing a game against Tau today I came to a realization, while melta is a staple in a IST squad has anyone thought of setting a 5x IST squad up with 1 melta and 1 plasma? It worked well for me and I wanted the more veteran players ideas on it. Plasma guns can work for opening up transports fairly decently and work well vs even terminators.

[Chengar Qordath]

Personally, when I field ISTs I field some as all-melta and some as all-plasma. Plasma ISTs are definately a solid choice for any list thanks to their ability to kill light vehicles and heavy infantry, but in my experience mixed weapon squads don't work as well since plasma and melta still tend to have different targets most of the time.

[Dilgar]

I also field em as two of the same weapon loadout.

 

I´ve recently been experimenting with having one IST group (5) in Chimera with only the ML and two meltaguns,

and another with two granade launchers in a Chimera also only with a ML.

 

The one with melta inside moves up togheter with a LR+GKT while the other one gets into position and shoots frag templates on the enemy. The BS4 really makes the granade launchers worth it imho. And I only play against PA!

 

Anyway, I do recommend trying out the granade launchers, they are quite effective with a range of 24" and with a Chimera, u can easily get em into a good position. The Chimera also has only one weapon cause I usually move em around, I do recommend to get that extra HB as it only is 5 points, if u think u get to use it.

[WarriorFish]

I agree, they're best when fielding two identical special weapons as you get the most from ISTs when they're built to perform a specific task that the rest of your army needs support with.

[number6]

In the DH army, you just don't need more ways to kill infantry, either at range or in close combat. And I'd rather have 1 S8 AP1 shot over 2 S7 AP2 shots when targeting any armour. The odds of doing damage are just better. And then there's the close range melta bonus which plasma doesn't get, of course.

 

And if you're going after infantry, a S8 weapon will Instant Death most targets. Plasma won't. One melta wound will insta-kill a Tau crisis suit, but you'll need two plasma wounds to remove the same model. Melta is more efficient.

 

And now there's MCs to think about. Tyranids got lots of T6 running around. Meltas wound MCs on 2s, plasma on 3s. This is a big deal.

 

In 4th edition, plasma was pretty useful. But the way vehicle damage and AP1 works now in 5th edition, I see no purpose to plasma weapons at all for the DH. Meltas are just better all-around weapons no matter how you look at it.

 

In the WH, I suppose an argument can be made that plasma can be put to good use. But that would only be because Sisters can already get pretty much all the meltas they could want. GKs aren't nearly so lucky.

[Inquisitor Fox]

I still don't use plasma guns with my WH IST's :P I use meltas and grenade launchers, 2 each to a squad. I second Dilgar's recommendation about grenade launchers... they've worked well for me, and they don't blow up your own men!

[fuzbuckle]

In the DH army, you just don't need more ways to kill infantry, either at range or in close combat. And I'd rather have 1 S8 AP1 shot over 2 S7 AP2 shots when targeting any armour. The odds of doing damage are just better. And then there's the close range melta bonus which plasma doesn't get, of course.

 

And if you're going after infantry, a S8 weapon will Instant Death most targets. Plasma won't. One melta wound will insta-kill a Tau crisis suit, but you'll need two plasma wounds to remove the same model. Melta is more efficient.

 

And now there's MCs to think about. Tyranids got lots of T6 running around. Meltas wound MCs on 2s, plasma on 3s. This is a big deal.

 

In 4th edition, plasma was pretty useful. But the way vehicle damage and AP1 works now in 5th edition, I see no purpose to plasma weapons at all for the DH. Meltas are just better all-around weapons no matter how you look at it.

 

In the WH, I suppose an argument can be made that plasma can be put to good use. But that would only be because Sisters can already get pretty much all the meltas they could want. GKs aren't nearly so lucky.

 

Not to mention that you yourself may lose models because of "Gets Hot!". It is for this reason those mentioned above by number6 that I only run melta guns in my IST squads.

[Chengar Qordath]

To be honest, 75% of the reason I run a fair amount of plasma in my IST is squads is that I've already got the models thanks to the way they're packaged by GW and almost all of the opponents I regularly face have 3+ saves as standard.