Morale Mitigation in a fast-moving force...

[ShinyRhino]

I'm looking for a way to cut down on the number of times I have my fast-moving units run off the board after a stray Morale test.

Typically, I run a Bike Troop list, backed up by mechanized Tac Squads, and a couple Dreads. I tend to have my Biker Captain, two full squads of 8 bikers with attached attack bikes, two full Tac squads in Rhinos, two or three VenDreads, and maybe a full Assault Squad with double flamers and a powerfist.

The problem arises when I do not have first turn. I'm often forced to deploy all my units on the board, and weather a hellstorm of long-ranged, heavy weapon fire. T5 isn't all that useful against krak missiles, plasma cannons, and lascannons, not to mention ordnance barrages and such.

When deploying, I typically end up very packed in to my own deployment edge. For example, in a Pitched Battle, I end up with all my units a max of 12" in (duh). Bikers and Assault Marines can be routed off the table with one bad roll on Turn One! Ld9 is still a 25% fail rate.

More than once I've had a squad book it off the board before I can even move them, due to an unlucky Morale test. it makes me tear up just thinking about it. Even worse is the time I rolled a Morale test for my captain's Ld10 (he was attached to the squad), failed, and he and the whole squad fled 14" off the board...Turn One. These events are very painful in Annihilation missions where killpoints hurt.

 

Combat squadding is even harder to decide with. Small squads have to test after only one or two losses, which is easy to achieve with a single krak missile. Normally, I'll combat squad anyways in objective missions, since killpoints won't matter. It's still very frustrating.

 

Add into the mix the existence of units like Necron Pariahs (though they're incredibly rare), or Psyker Battle Squads, and you can really take a Morale-based beating.

 

How do I mitigate this risk for my units, since the majority of it can flee off the board easily on turn one? I've tried hugging cover, but bikers are large bases, and tend to be hard to hide. I'm also easy to funnel that way, since difficult terrain tests can kill bikers instead of slowing them down. Lose one man in a 4-bike combat squad, and you take ANOTHER Morale test!

 

I'm not a huge fan of using Reserves for my bikes and jump Marines. My Dreads and Rhinos tend to get hammered on when my bikers aren't around to put the pressure on the enemy, and by the time the bikes show up, I'm short on power.

 

 

One option i thought about was taking a Chaplain on a bike as a second HQ. He confers Fearless. I could add him into one large squad, and then deploy the second large squad behind them, joined by the captain. The frnot squad is Fearless, and also confers a 4+ cover save to the rear squad. This should be enough to keep both squads on the board through the first turn. it is far less effective when combat-squadding in an objective mission, though.

 

The other option was taking a cheap Biker Command Squad, with only the Company Banner as an upgrade. If I deploy it in cover, or outside LOS, I can deploy my bikers squads in long ranks stretching outward from it. The 12" radius of the Banner's rerolls to Morale and Pinning effectively halves my Morale-based risk. Add the Captain to the Command Squad, purchase him Artificer Armor, and he can take krak missile shots to the forehead, and roll FNP against the odd failed armor save.

Or, would this unit be more effective mechainzed in a Rhino or Razorback? They gain a mobile bunker, and several inches of banner radius (since you measure from the hull).

 

Anyone have any ideas on this one? I'm really sick of being incredibly nervous and waffling when deploying my bikers at the start of the game.

[Brother Valerius]

He's expensive, but... Calgar? You could choose to auto-pass all those morale tests.

[ShinyRhino]

He's expensive, but... Calgar? You could choose to auto-pass all those morale tests.

 

He is expensive, and doesn't really fit in with the biker list. I'd have to take the PA version, since he can't ride in anything that isn't a Land Raider. He'd end up falling behind :mellow:

[Koremu]

How much Cover are you playing with? I honestly never have trouble finding enough Cover to shield a Squad. They use Infantry rules for determining Cover, so it's relatively easy on any battlefield I play on to get 5 bikes into some kind of obscured position.

[ShinyRhino]

How much Cover are you playing with? I honestly never have trouble finding enough Cover to shield a Squad. They use Infantry rules for determining Cover, so it's relatively easy on any battlefield I play on to get 5 bikes into some kind of obscured position.

 

Depends on the locale I'm at. I've played on boards at events where there's almost no cover at all, but most of the time at our local, it's a good mix, and follows the 20-25% of board area rule.

 

Maybe I'm just overly paranoid because the dice gods have turned on me more than once.

[Ming]

Interesting thought....what impact would a psycher battle squad have if you can CHOOSE with Calgar to pass or fail anything? It begs the other question, what is the impact of PSBs on fearless units?

 

The immediate tactical solution with bikes is to play as far forward as possible from the board edge so you do not fall back and off. Same would go for jump pack troops. You need SPACE. Key units should be fearless or have the ability to choose pass/fail.

 

Our favorite Ork player is wondering how to do the same. He is worried about the impact of PSBs on his future successes.

[ShinyRhino]

PBS will not make the unit non-Fearless. They will have a Ld reduction, but are still Fearless. Should something knock the Fearless USR off them (sniping the Chaplain), they then take their Morale and Pinning tests at the reduced value. Of course, if it's a flat Ld test, you go at the modified value.

They also don't affect Calgar, as the unit might have a Ld of 3, but he can still say "Pass automatically." it's basically like automatically rolling snakeyes or boxcars whenever you want to.

 

Playing forward is valid, though in a Pitched Battle, you have 12" to deploy in. The nearly 3" long base of a biker cuts that to a 9" gap to the board edge, even less if you had to rank up due to terrain.

 

I think I might try the Chaplain route first. Even if I combat squad him and am going seconed, I have the luxury of picking my placement according to the enemy's deployment. If there are any huge killzones, I can put the chaplain's combat squad out in a front-to-back line, giving a very large line of cover to other squads behind.

The Command Squad is a bit sexier, though. It'd give me the chance to do a nice freehand banner, and model up a biker Apothecary.

[Grey Mage]

Some thoughts:

 

1) Its only a 1/6th chance of failing a LD 9 test. ;)

2) If your deployment zone is packed, reserve some things and come on the table roaring.

3) Chaplain on a bike can help a bit, if you have the HQ slot to spare.

4) Combat Squad, particularly with your characters in the non-seargent squad to keep the LD up. You spread out, but you force your opponent to pick his targets better and risk less from a stray morale check. Also- a 5 man squad must lose two models before it dies, a 10 man squad only needs lose 3, so you have something of an improved resistance to the checks overall.

5) Put more terrain in your backfield if you can- your bikes will have to go around it, giving you more room for error.

[Sanctjud]

YMMV, but:

I'm not a huge fan of using Reserves for my bikes and jump Marines.

Might have to change.

You play a water list essentially, it won’t play like another element all the time. You pay for the benefit of reserves not bothering you too much.

 

Chaplain only keeps one squad on the board when he’s still alive…which also means they can’t use Combat Tactics.

 

The biker command squad is a good deal, pricey, but good with some special weapons sprinkled on top.

The Captain can not roll FNP vs. Krak Missiles…it’s still 2xT versus base Toughness, the Bike Does not count as base T5.

The Rhino/Razor is a cheaper route and decent with counter-shooting with special weapons.

 

Otherwise, play with a pair and take your licks, as you seem to play like that already. If you don’t use reserves, then you don’t use it and take your licks, it’s that simple.

If one is not gonna play with a pair, then try out the reserves route. Let me tell you (as you might know) it's not always the answer, but it works so well when it does benefit you.

 

-Sanct.

[Paulochromis]

some suggestions:

-- Lysander (not great since he's termy) or Kantor for stubborn, although this loses combat tactics

-- no cover, make your own fro

---- the rhinos or

---- interleaving your bike squads or

---- storm-shield-toting command squad

but really, with a bike heavy and otherwise mobile force, if you're going second, reserve everything! Deny him a whole round of shooting.

-- Tigurius improves reserve rolls but VERY expensive

 

Cheers, Paul.

[minigun762]

What about sicarius? Ld10 seems like a good start and you can put him on a bike right? I'm at work so I can't check

[ShinyRhino]

What about sicarius? Ld10 seems like a good start and you can put him on a bike right? I'm at work so I can't check

 

Nope. The only special character in Codex: Space Marines who can purchase a bike is Kor'sarro Khan.

 

I decided to go the Command Squad route, just for funsies. Banner, Apothecary, champion, and maybe a couple minor upgrades for wound shenanigans. The banner would allow Morale rerolls in a nice little radius on Turn One.

 

I might convert up a Chaplain, as well, just for giggles.

[Fatuous]

Think everything is covered now, but Calgar is your best bet if you never want to take a morale check again....... ever :D Can't really argue with that, stick him in a rhino with a tac squad.

 

Try out using reserves. If you don't want casualties, there is little choice in that one.

 

Otherwise, you can either.

 

1 Hide behind your rhinos and dreads for at least cover saves, or hiding the squads completely.

2 Use your rhinos to make the bikes have to go around them if they fail a morale check, you should be able to get them so that they need to move 15" or more to leave the table, which fingers crossed should keep them on the table longer.

3 Keep your tac squads out of their tranpsorts on turn 1. This is a risky stratgery and you may well loose a squad on turn 1, but they wont run as far, and can regroup, and can again, give a cover save to the bikers.

 

If you want to set up on the table when you don't have turn 1, then you have to accept casualties, that will lead to some failed checks, but they shouldn't be happening 1/4 of the time, more like 1/6 as stated above (6-8 is by far the most likely dice roll on 2D6. To get 10 or more there are only 6 out of 36 possible combinations).

 

The reroll option with the command squad on bikes is a good option, but you still run teh riskof that 1 squad getting shot up first by krak missiles and plasma guns, negating FNP, so this costly fix to the situation, may not work as well as avoiding the fire on turn 1.

 

Good luck with your games

[Leonaides]

Use the Rhinos positioned rear to rear - it gives you an AV11 wall about 10" long that totally blocks LOS. Even if they destroy the tank, it still counts as cover (unless it explodes). If they immob it, you're on bikes, so go round.

[amberclad87]

Have you tried making this alpha strike list an actual alpha strike? Sicarius gives you a re-roll on seize the initiative. Not very good but worth a shot. And he might give a bonus to your bikes seeing as they are troops now, not sure on that but it might work. And I know you hate the inquisitor+tarot guy but this is what makes imperial armies alpha strike. Otherwise I like the command squad with banner+ other goodies. Re-roll your morale checks within 12" and you should be good.

[ShinyRhino]

Have you tried making this alpha strike list an actual alpha strike? Sicarius gives you a re-roll on seize the initiative. Not very good but worth a shot. And he might give a bonus to your bikes seeing as they are troops now, not sure on that but it might work. And I know you hate the inquisitor+tarot guy but this is what makes imperial armies alpha strike. Otherwise I like the command squad with banner+ other goodies. Re-roll your morale checks within 12" and you should be good.

 

Siccy is fun, but he is a huge liability in my Bike lists because he's foot-mobile, and needs a bodyguard unit. He'll give all the units in the army Ld10, but only gives his Battle Forged Heroes rule to a tactical squad. I'd have to take both Siccy, and a biker captain to have bike troops. :)

Oddly enough, bikers aren't an Alpha Strike list. Just a high-speed, high-maneuver list. I'm sure you've seen me hold the periphery of the board, firing a few long-range shots at juicy targets, and then using Turn 5 to my advantage as I boost in to steal the game.

 

I really do need to learn to use reserves better. I think I've got this conservative streak in me that is scared of all my units coming in one-per-turn, and getting shot to hell. I've also had a LOT of Ork opponents in my recent tournament games. Orks have the resilience to hold an objective for the whole game if you don't get shooting at them ASAP. Gotta whittle down those 30-man Boyz units, and pop those Trukks full of Nobz early!

 

I hadn't even though about the Rhino Wall. I do bring two Rhino-borne tac squads in the core of most of my builds, so that might work, both as a screen, or as a roadblock for a falling back unit to have to go around.