The Hammer versus Death from Above

[templargdt]

I'm trying to decide between two groups of units, and I'd like to know which you guys think would be an overall better choice:

 

5 Assault Terminators (Thunder hammers)

Land Raider (Classic) with Multimelta

 

or

 

2 Dreadnoughts (multimelta/heavy flamer) in drop pods

5 devastators (3 missile launchers) in a drop pod

 

I'm really torn. I love the ability of the assault terminators to just run something over and kill it, and the Land Raider has some great firepower.

 

On the other hand, I can start the small devastator squad on the board and drop two dreadnoughts on a guy turn one. The missile launchers will be great through the game killing light armor, and if they attract serious firepower I can have them go to ground and not lose a lot. Whatever the dreads drop next to I'm going to destroy, and force my opponent to go on the defensive.

 

What say you?

[Brother-Captain Isaac]

The second is better:

1. More mobility: Remember, mobility only means the ability to get to where you want. Those Dreadnoughts fufill exactly this. The Devs' range is also a form of mobility, while the Assault Terminators may spend the entire game trying to chase some Speeders :P Besides, depite the pure awesomeness of Ass Termies, they could only be one place at one time......
   
2. More killiness: The Ass Termies could only munch up a single unit at a time while the Dev/Dread combo could tear up lots of enemies at a time.
   
3. More flexibility: Missle Launchers are good to have, and the Dreads have already been kitted out to kill both infantry and tanks.
   

 

And, last but not least, Assault Terminators are too uncreative. XD

 

Of course, this is only in general, so I'm going to ask you who you usually play.

[thade]

I would forgo the drop pod for the Devastators and deploy them perhaps with a Rhino but into cover at the start. Drop Pod Dreads are pretty good, provided the rest of your army has the ranged fire power to give them support when they touch down (or charge them into assaults with whatever transports they crack open).

[kiwitexansfan]

I would forgo the drop pod for the Devastators and deploy them perhaps with a Rhino but into cover at the start. Drop Pod Dreads are pretty good, provided the rest of your army has the ranged fire power to give them support when they touch down (or charge them into assaults with whatever transports they crack open).

 

He needs the drop pod for the Devs because that means he can drop both dreads first turn rather than having one come in with reserves.

[templargdt]

That's correct. I would deploy the devs at the start of the game and let their empty pod come in later (probably to contest on objective or just sit somewhere and not give up a kill point.)

 

This is for part of my list for 'Ard Boyz. I know there will be a Space Wolf, a Nid, two Ork players, one Chaos Marine guy packing Abbadon and one dude who could bring litterally anything. Plus whoever shows up but didn't pre-register.

 

I'll already be packing one AT/LR combo; I brought two last year and it performed extremely well. My concern is having more firepower and ability to deepstrike against distant targets that need killing (like abaddon's Land Raider.)

[Giga]

5 Assault Terminators (Thunder hammers)

Land Raider (Classic) with Multimelta

This, except you should make sure you have extra armor on that land raider. The godhammer (classic LR) doesn't really need the multimelta anyway, as it has its lascannons for anti-vehicle/MC.

[McFisty]

I believe in a Land Raider with Hammernators. It has the ability to deploy your Hammernators more accurately than anything that deep strikes and in many games will allow the Terminators to disembark more than once. This allows you much more control over your hammer and where it strikes. Dev's are a waste of time because they can not move and shoot in the same turn. Shooting while moving is a key element of fifth ed., so I recommend Rifleman Dreads instead. I remember several games where I needed to keep my Terminators and LR near my deployment area during turns one and two but speed to the other side of the board later in the game. I know you can't do that with drop pods. I say just stick any HQ, preferably with I5, with those 5 Hammernators, in a LR with extra armor and MM and deploy them boldly. You can control the game early just by deploying this with confidence. Drop podding Dreads are fearsome but Land Raider Hammernators are really awful. No matter who your enemy is, no matter what your objective is, or how the terrain may lay, when you absolutely must be able to kill anything in any codex, except no substitute. Land Raider Hammernators are the answer for you.

 

I Believe In Land Raider Hammernators,

 

McFisty