Landspeeders Effective?

[BrotherCaptainJames]

So I just reached the 2k mark with my wolves, and am trying to figure out how I want to flesh out the last 500 points of my army (making it useful for tournaments all the way up to 'ard boyz points levels). I've NEVER used speeders before, and the typhoon is simply singing to me! More rockets to add to my already launcher heavy long fangs just seems like a great idea. I currently run 2 full squads of long fangs each packing 4 launchers and a las cannon. It'd probably be easier to simply list my army so here goes:

 

Njal (in drop pod with wolf guard squad)

3 Squads of 10 Grey Hunters in drop pods all kitted out the same with 2 plasma guns, plasma pistol, powerfist, mark of the wulfen

1 Squad of 10 Grey Hunters in drop pod with 2 melta guns, plasma pistol, powerfist, mark of the wulfen

1 Squad of 10 Wolf Guard in drop pod with Arjac upgrade, 2 TDA's w/ cyclone missile launchers (attached to both long fang squads), 2 combi plasma's, 2 combi melta's

2 Squads of 6 Long Fangs kitted out the same with 4 rocket launchers and a las cannon

 

This brings me to approximately 2060 points. I figured speeders fit the fast attack theme of the drop pod list and more missiles are always welcome. C&C needed!! How many squadrons to bring, squadron size, weapon loads, all input welcome!!

 

Thanks!

[Niiai]

I never runn speeder smyself, but I am up against them all the time.

 

They die a lott. If I have no good targets for the speeders or the heavy bolters got nothing special in mind it goes into the speeder. The speeder with the rockets dies first, because killing 1 is like killing 2 long fangs +, only easier.

 

If you want to run speeders, run them cheap. Melta if you feel you need more, but flamer would be OK as would the heavy bolter.

[Iron-Daemon Forge]

For my own Space Wolves force, I been useing a unit of 2 Land Speeder with Multi Melta & Flamer. Really good & done me really well. Multi Melta to take on tanks but usely suffer the curse of the melta :( & Heavy Flamer for taken on hordes & oppent object baby sitting units like Scouts with Camo or in cover that has the bounse from a Tech Marine.

 

Like wise one of the main reason I took Speeder was for that mobilty, to allow me to contest my oppent object. In the mission with one object each from the rule book (forget it name) it usely end in a draw. Speeder help a lot, depend the deployment, I can ether deep strike the Speeder, have them hiden behind my tanks or bring them on from reserve. But they do a lot of damnge on the way to the oppent object.

 

I take one unit of two instead of two singel speeder. Just the squad rule, pretty much get extra armour for free (down grade stunned to shaken), though you do suffer the immobile result quite a bit.

 

I found them to be good in games, same time my army is all tanks (Rhino, 3x Razorbacks & two Dreadnoughts, with a whole host of Grey Hunter to worry about) so the speeder never been the main priority for them when there Grey Hunters in the tanks about to kick them in the face ^_^

 

I also heard a lot of good things on Typhoons from friends who have use them. It one squad I'll need to add in the future to try out. But first I need to get my Wolf Wing army built during the Christmas holidays.

 

I'd suggest adding a unit to try out, this way that least you do have a unit in the army. I'd possible go for a unit of 2 Speeder, as said I found this to work great for myself. Weapon wise, I'd suggest not glue the weapon on, just this allow you to try the diffrent once. Maybe have the Multi Melta & Heavy Bolter pinned onto the Crew memeber. Like wise possible put magnets or pin the Heavy Flamer or Assault Cannon for the bottem of the Speeder. Just this allow you to try out the diffrent weapons, change them depend the oppent or what work for you or what points cost you have left over depend on the army list you bring to a game.

 

Hope this helps, but I'd suggest give them a try. Also somthing diffrent to add to your force.

 

IP

[Durfast Spiritwolf]

They are cheap, agile and can make the opponent nervious and distracted - what's not to like with a couple of Multimelta armed LS

[Orphus]

They are cheap, agile and can make the opponent nervious and distracted - what's not to like with a couple of Multimelta armed LS

 

Tau Firewarriors aided by pathfinders punching holes through them :devil: and let's not even get started about Ion Cannons or Railguns... It isn't that I don't like them or their concept it's just on many occasions I see battle reports where a player uses them only to have them not survive turn two because they don't go first and they just get shredded by sacrificial stealth suits...

Tau are just one example but that's something I constantly see on other forums if the Landspeeders aren't used effectively. They get no support and just die before the main army can get to the lines.

If you want something that can take the heat off the GHs then LS aren't a great idea but if you want something to act as a support for your army then deep-striking them in with your army as the distraction could be a good idea as one good thing I can say about them is that they can do a tremendous amount of damage if left ignored :(

[DV8]

Can Land Speeders be effective? Yes they can.

 

Are they easy to use? You bet your power-armored buttocks they aren't.

 

Land Speeders are fragile gunboats that cost as much, if not more than, another unit does the same of (insofar as the firepower is concerned, and usually more efficiently) but with greater durability. The strength of the Land Speeder comes with its mobility. Being a skimmer gives it far greater unrestricted access to the battlefield, and can bring its firepower to where it needs to go rather quickly.

 

However, with its paper thin armor even cover is not enough to readily protect a Land Speeder. Thus there are (so far as I have experienced) four maxims you need to apply in order to properly field Land Speeders:

 

1. Range. Remain as far as you possibly need to be and still be able to effectively accomplish whatever need be done. Example, the best range for a Typhoon is 36" against Infantry, and 48" against Armor.
   
2. Target Saturation. Take enough vehicles/targets in your army that draw enough firepower away from your Land Speeders, that the enemy is presented with a multitude of viable threats that they must get rid of. This will dilute their firepower and minimize the firepower that gets put into the Land Speeders. This is why Land Speeders work best supporting a fully mechanized army (of, say, Rhinos full of Marines that drive straight for the enemy).
   
3. Target Priority. Remove targets that can most readily target and hurt your Land Speeders.
   
4. Purpose and function. What roles do you intend the Land Speeders to fulfill in your army? Can the same role be accomplished just as effectively/efficiently by another unit in your army?
   

 

I field a squadron of two Land Speeder Typhoons, and two separate squadrons of individual Land Speeder Tornadoes (MM and HF). I typically lose 1 or 2 Land Speeders, and it's almost always the Tornadoes, because while my ranged firepower is mounted on weak gunboats, the enemy has to deal with 3 Rhinos and a Drop Pod filled with 40 angry Space Wolves bearing down on them. Coupled with the threat of a unit of Wolf Scouts in reserve, and the enemy has a tough time with target priority.

 

 

DV8

[Wolf Guard Nostromo]

I rarely leave the fang without at least one or two now...

 

I use them in two forms (both already mentioned by others above): MM/HF... mostly keeping them in reserve to save them from early exchanges and then use them a rapid reserve for troubleshooting and contesting. TML/HB - long range support with handy mobility to boot.

 

Yes, they are fragile, but used effectively (which, as mentioned by DV8, isn't easy) they are very difficult to counter. Give them a go I say.

[Sturm Moonwolf]

I really like my speeders, I have 2 MM/HF and 2 Typhoon/HB. The MM/HF usually get more play time as they are cheaper point-wise. I have found Deep Striking MM/HF speeders in the rear of the oppponents army in combination with some Wolf Scouts and a DN Drop pod has been pretty effective, and a good way to clean out those softie Tau/Eldar/IG hiding in the bush taking pop shots at you while your army advances. Land Speeders are very fragile but everything counts in numbers!

[BrotherCaptainJames]

I managed to get my hands on a 3rd edition speeder and rigged it as a tornado (MM and AC) and bought two new speeders which i assembled as typhoons with HF's. I ran the typhoons together and the tornado separate. Let me just say this: SPEEDERS ROCK!!! My typhoons hung back and blasted vehicles to great effect and the tornado was a great deepstriking unit, busted a land raider turn 2, and just sat there spraying assault cannon death afterwards. I'm a firm believer in the speeder now. When the enemy finally got to my lines i HF'd with the typhoons literally tearing up squads before my GH's could get into them :tu: I'm thinking about getting a 3rd typhoon w/ HF.