Land Speeder MM+HF

[templargdt]

My preferred tactic is blocking LOS to them initially if it all possible, then turboboosting them and keeping them behind cover to angle on their initial target while avoiding threat envelopes (I like to use an oblique approach moving forward to avoid as much firepower as possible while ensuring I can hit my target next turn; ususally the target is a Leman Russ or Land Raider.) Managing the threat against the speeders by LOS denial is key to keeping them alive against things like autocannons.

[Blood Scorpion]

I normally use my two MM/HF Speeders (in a squadron by the way) to support my army rather than as a harrassment threat on their own. They tend to last past half way as I run quite a bit of Armour so the Speeders tend to be lower down my opponent's priority list.

 

They can act as an escort for your Rhino mounted Tacticals. Got a Tank blocking the way to the Objective - jump out from behind the Rhino and nuke it. Got some Genestealers about to ambush your troops - peel off and cook them. Got a large infantry unit challenging you to dare to disembark - drive the Rhino straight over them, bunch them into a nice tidy line and then flame them to death with the Speeders (check out your opponent's face when you catch 12 Orks with a single flame template!).

 

Try pairing them with two Vindicators, let them nuke a transport and watch your Demolisher Cannons land on top of the poor unit that has had to disembark within 2" of an access point or is sat in a nice tight formation in the ruins of their former transport!

 

Try running a Land Raider for them to hide behind, let them pop out to nuke a transport so your assault unit can charge whatever it was carrying. They can also flame a larger unit to even up the fight for your Terminators/Honour Guard/Vangaurd etc.

 

My favourite memory was when I faced Chaos Daemons and a big bad Greater Daemon Deepstiked right next to my Tactical Squad that were holding a key Objective. There were too many targets for me to dedicate sufficient shots at it to kill it before it got to charge so I moved away 6" giving me room to fly my Speeders in between the Deamon and my Marines, meaning that the route around the two Speeders was too great for him to get the charge on my vital Troops. I opened fire with both units (the Tactical were able to fire underneath the Speeders) leaving the Greater Deamon with a couple of wounds remaining. He had no choice but to charge the Speeders in his Turn and needing 6's to hit only managed to kill one of them. Finally the Tactical Squad were able to fire their pistols and charge with a Power Fist killing the Deamon so that the remaining Marines could secure the Objective once again.

 

Of course, sometimes they die before they get to cause any real damage as they don't take nicely to Heavy Weapons fire but by taking them as a support unit for the more important aspects of my army this is never a game plan crippling occurance.