Best Mode of Locomotion?

[Joasht]

I did a quick searchy and didn't see anything, so i thought I'd ask; what do you guys think is the most effective way to move across the board for the BA?

 

1) Jump packs - reliable since you maintain the ability to move 12" for the whole game, but leaves your men in the open. Gives option to deepstrike, although I personally never really liked deepstriking without a pod or teleport homer.

2) Razorback - cost efficient for small RAS squads, fast, has a gun, provides protection, but can be destroyed in one lucky shot. Originally I thought this might have been the best way to do it given the math, but I read a thread ~10 pages down that some people took a Razorback-heavy list to a tournament and got trashed.

3) Rhino - no gun, but 10-man capacity

4) Drop Pod - Reliable deepstrike but doesn't really do much once its on the ground.

5) Land Raider - Very expensive in an army where you already don't have many bodies and probably already have several tanks.

6) A mix of several modes of transport.

 

What do you guys think?

 

Thanks!

[Aramis_the_Red]

I tend towards option 6. I find it a lot more fun to bring a variety of units to the table to keep my opponents guessing. I also think it's fun to use multiple options just for the look and feel on the table.

[vharing]

I agree. A good mix of foot, jump packing, and transported troops survives better than being stuck with one thing. I have tried running an all JP army a few times. While it is fun, it is also way to fragile. Adding one land raider gives your opponent something big and scary to shoot at while the other elements of your army move in for the kill.

[Redo]

I also agree with option 6.

 

With option 6 you can take vehicles that provide cover for you advancing Jump Pack troops. These jump pack troops will often charge first, unless you have a vehicle that allows assault. Rhino/Razorback squads can provide support fire and charge in if needed in the next round.

 

I also find that if you are going to use tanks and dread it pays to have a few Rhino and Razors aroundto dilute opposing fire and give cover.

[Morticon]

My 1650 nationals has 1 razor, 1 rhino and one jumpy squad - so im all for mixed variety.

 

 

There is something that needs to be said about the humble rhino however that wasnt mentioned before.

 

The razorback is a well armed transport. This means that to get accross the board and use the points we've spent on it we need to move it 12". In the case of the rhino, it has one job.

 

It moves.

 

As a result you're more lilely to gain more ground, quicker!

 

The other thing is, jumpers are great with Descent of Angels. Take a look at a few of the tourney reports ive done. With a reroll to reserves and only a d6 scatter.

[GlauG]

Stormravens and Jump Packs. :sweat: It works for me, at any rate. The SR being able to eat up 24" of table edge, gain a 4+ save, and still fire one weapon (which is either multiple shot, twin-linked, or a mix of the two in some cases) is great. Assuming it survives, you're basically within JP range of whatever it is you wanted to Assault the next turn, unless you're playing against something very mobile... That said, Vanguard with JPs are awesome for tying up annoying units, especially shooty ones, on account of Descent of Anges + Heroic Intervention!

[Brother-Captain Devlonir]

In the case of the rhino, it has one job.

 

It moves.

 

And when it moves.. it tank shocks! :-) Heh.. I will never forget that game vs nids I won on objectives because last turn I shocked his Genestealers off an objective.. Only 1 marine and 1 rhino left alive vs a few big nasties and those Genestealers. Still golden to win that one..

 

Also.. it not only tank shocks, it is also a nice contester of objectives in the late endgame.

And finally: Never forget that once it is immobilized it could repair itself. It's a small chance, but once that actually happens you will be so happy!

[JamesI]

So far, I have not used a drop pod, storm raven or a land raider with the new codex (partly due to the lack of not owning models for them).

 

I run at 1850 2 jumpy squads (and 2 jumpy ICs), 1 razorback squad, 1 rhino squad (with another IC). Mix in a few bikes/speeder and tanks and you have a good mix.

 

I really like jumpy units, but a mix is probably the best way. Jump units need that protection of the mobile cover, fast rhinos can block a lot of LOS and even protect shootier tanks, and razorbacks offer the ability to strengthen an army weakness in shooting, either through the Twin lascannon, twin assault cannon or the las-plas set up.

 

I tend to like shooty squads in razors, so if the tank is still useful even if the squad is standing in place shooting. Currently the razor is the property of my sternguard.

[Joasht]

For some reason I totally forgot about the Stormraven, but to be honest its kind of feels like a shiny toy, or maybe the total lack of a model makes me feel like it doesn't exist ><

[shan vener]

here's my opinion.

in my entire 3K point BA army I have 1 tank, a LRR, the rest is jump pack.

infantry will always be better than tanks, especially flying, and very mad infantry

[Zid]

Only transport I run is normally Land Raider Redeemers. Honestly, whats bad about a 205 point land raider (assault squad)?

[Joasht]

Threadomancy, but its my own thread and its of the same topic, so I thought why not.

 

I've been thinking regarding the whole "mixed" thing - wouldn't it make sense to go with a specific build (i.e. all infantry/jump packs/bikes or all armored) in terms of target saturation? By mixing you are giving the opponent's anti-infantry/anti-tank weapons ideal targets every turn, whereas by concentrating on one style you force your opponents to use less optimal weapons? Granted one could argue this in several ways (LOS, anti-infantry targeting infantry that bailed out of their destroyed transport), but I'm open for discussion on what you guys think about this.

[Donkeycow]

i use a mixture, but i definitely go mostly Jump Packs. I find jump packs are very reliable because unlike vehicles one lucky hit doesn't immobilize them. Just gotta be careful to never leave them in the open if your enemy still has ordinance kicking around.

[JamesI]

Joasht, I know people who do go full mech or full jumpy. Personally, I still feel a mix is the best idea. For 2 reasons.

 

1) Inherent distrust of transports. A full mech army loses a few razorbacks/rhinos and suddenly its a slow walking army, generally with too few guys to compensate.

 

2) Ability to hide jumpy units behind the mech wall.

[Zeller]

I also agree with option 6. The risk of all mechanized encourages me to include jump packers. They are used to float around the vehicles and provide a strikedown squad like in the intro of DoWII. Should someone lose their transport and face a charge the assault marines swoop down to save the day.

 

I tend to run a semi mech with jumpers. The cost of a rhino is inhibitive when for two rhinos I can get 5 assault marines or a predator destructor. So, basically I've got slogging tacticals, predators and other heavy armor rolling up with the infantry, and assault marines jumping from roof to roof or cover to cover until they are needed. The mix is definitely great for flexibility.