Razorspam has a large weakness!

[Archnomad]

Now, I don't know if it's just me. But i've been playing about with one of these Razorback heavy list that everyone seems to be toting about. Now, I've had about 10-15 games with it so far. And 3 of these i've conceded turn 4 or so, due to simply appalling dice rolling. My theory is that it's because the entire army hinges on the success of a few key dice rolls. Now, i've been playing the book with Space Wolves, but i'm tempted to give BA Razorspam a go because of the fast vehicles, which suits my playstyle a lot more.

 

But anyway, the point i'm making. The razorspam lists rely on rolling maybe 15 to hit dice a turn at the point level i'm playing, and as such "bad" rolling can seriously mess up your game plan. Whereas an army (orks or guard being a good example) which rolls many dice doesn't suffer this problem, because they're the beloved child of the law of averages.

 

Anyone else noticed this problem, or had the same experience? I'm talking maybe 66% of your shots missing >.>

 

~{Archy}~

[BlackSpike]

Just to note that orks are not entirely immune to extreme rolls:

In my last game using orks (vs nids), my 15 tank-busters managed to score a mighty 1 hit from 15 5+ rolls, and then fail the 2+ wound! :)

To make up for it, my 20 slugga boyz took down a trygon in one round, even before the Pk Nob and Warboss got chance to strike! We figured it should have had at least 2 wounds left!

 

But yes, more rolls is likely to end up average, while relying on a few rolls can fall to bad dice. :(

[Justicar Valius]

Some bad luck will allways be a bad thing.

[Brother Tremerton]

Now, I don't know if it's just me. But i've been playing about with one of these Razorback heavy list that everyone seems to be toting about. Now, I've had about 10-15 games with it so far. And 3 of these i've conceded turn 4 or so, due to simply appalling dice rolling. My theory is that it's because the entire army hinges on the success of a few key dice rolls. Now, i've been playing the book with Space Wolves, but i'm tempted to give BA Razorspam a go because of the fast vehicles, which suits my playstyle a lot more.

 

But anyway, the point i'm making. The razorspam lists rely on rolling maybe 15 to hit dice a turn at the point level i'm playing, and as such "bad" rolling can seriously mess up your game plan. Whereas an army (orks or guard being a good example) which rolls many dice doesn't suffer this problem, because they're the beloved child of the law of averages.

 

Anyone else noticed this problem, or had the same experience? I'm talking maybe 66% of your shots missing >.>

 

~{Archy}~

 

My SW buddy had 3 TL-lascannon shots at my landspeeder he rolled 6 ones in a row... calculation showed he pulled a 1 in 47 000 ticket, then again my landspeeder couldn't hurt anything either.

[Starblayde]

Anyone else noticed this problem, or had the same experience? I'm talking maybe 66% of your shots missing >.>

My SW buddy had 3 TL-lascannon shots at my landspeeder he rolled 6 ones in a row... calculation showed he pulled a 1 in 47 000 ticket, then again my landspeeder couldn't hurt anything either.

Five Terminators charged into Close Combat with less than ten Ork Boyz and I had four 2+ saves to make and rolled four 1s. All at once. Yay.

 

There's not much more you can do than yell 'Yahtzee!' and take your toys off the table :D

[Ookami_81]

To me, bad luck is "not enough dices".

You're totally right, and since I think I'm somewhat cursed by Tzeentch the God of Dices, I always think when choosing between equipments "how many dices to roll".

 

If you like RZb spamming, try a few TLAC. :P

[Justicar Valius]

thou must always offer your enemies Hq to the Dice Gods and you must always pray to them. Yet they are fickle and will turn on you if you forget just once!

 

Yeh and as said before just say yatzee, everyone in the store will look at you then wince at the dice roll. THen it will happen again and again and you will be known for bad luck (as I am)

[Ming]

First - Just as a word of interesting caution - I use these blocks of dice that come in the clear plastic box with the black lid....something like 36 dice in a box...you know the ones...fairly inexpensive, and a common dice sold at local game stores. Slightlyu rounded edges, large variety of colors.

 

We have found that these dice might fail under a scientific study to be totally random, and some of these dice when given a "random throw" on a smoooth surface to be more likely to roll 1's rather than any other number. We actually got one cube that is now set aside because of that issue. We have taken to singling out these dice in other cubes and chucking them (or leaving them out for other players to collect...)

 

What we tell all our friends is if you have purchased a block of dice - try them out with a pad of paper and test them - for numerous completely shaken rolls. If they do not test to be random - go buy a new pack and try again. Maybe these dice are just unlucky, maybe they have some kind of density flaw. Makes you wonder if the dice are molded, and the they get stamped and drilled as a sheet - light upper side gets drilled as 1's and the heavy side (bottom) gets drilled as 6's - like they are not tumbled before finishing.

 

Regardless - use dice that do not seem unlucky, whatever the cause. Of course, NEVER use loaded dice. People have been drilled for less.

 

Back on track to this thread - dice rolling has shown if you are depending on heavy weapons to take the enemy's armor down, you really do have to rely on hitting each target 3 times in a shooting phase to take it down - as in wreck it or better. A razorback with a TLLC is fun, it does reroll to hit, but only rolls once on the damage chart if you get that hit. You cannot then trust it enough to do the job in the current mech-heavy metagame to do its job. It would be better to immediately assume you will need 2 razorbacks to attack each target, so a 8-razorback force might reasonably be expected to stun or otherwise take down 4 transports or light tanks in a shooting phase, if those vehicles you target do not have cover. Many more hits are needed to take down heavy armor (anything AV13 or higher). This ROT goes just as well for squads with meltas or plasmas or other AT weapons.