Your source of fast melta

[Meatman]

Hey everyone, this is just to ask how you take your melta units and why to help get a better understanding of which units work well.

 

 

My melta normally isn't fast, but in the form of a drop pod with 5 sternguard with meltaguns/combi-meltas. 185 points for 5 meltas, and it arrives accurately, and on the first turn so that raider won't get far.

Although I'm tempted by a 3 man bike squad with combi-melta and 2 meltaguns, for 120 points they can turboboost around until needed and easy to hide. Although they do eat a fast attack slot.

 

What do you take and why?

[JamesI]

I generally take 2 units of 2 multimelta attack bikes for the maneuverability and firepower plus several units of assault squads with meltaguns and perhaps infernus pistols.

 

I prefer attack bikes to land speeders for fast melta because they are cheaper, smaller and a single hit doesn't always mean can't shoot.

[templargdt]

I like 2 AB in a squadron and 2 LS with MM/HF. Does the job quite well. If the opponent is low/no vehicles, it's still useful. In that case AB's plink MCs /Nobz with the MMs and the LS heavy flamers are awesome. One of my favorite tricks is using a Rhino to bait Nids/Orks into charging it and then double heavy flaming the konga line along the Rhino hull.

[ShinyRhino]

I run a pair of MM attack bikes in a squadron, and a 5-man biker squad with a combimelta and two meltaguns. Fast, durable, and easy to hide.

[Captain Idaho]

I've recently accepted that I need more decent anti-tank in my army and have decided, in addition my lascannons and melta guns in my army I needed a couple hunter-killers to support the army.

 

So I have added a pair of solo flying Landspeeders with Multi-meltas and Heavy flamers. These 2 add speed and firepower to the army, plus suck in fire better than a single Lascannon Dreadnought I had to relugate to the subs bench.

 

Shame to have to change my list as I loved my Dreadnoughts, but I still have reasonable ranged firepower to hurt opponents from afar at least. I'd prefer an army with 5+ Lascannons for that job but have had to make do with just 2 plus my Typhoons...

[greatcrusade08]

i pretty much rely on my tri-melta storms, failing that grenades and power fists in close combat

[Shadowstalker Grim]

Is fast melta a neccessity in an army? Or is it more of a luxury? Ideally i'd select a MM/HF speeder if pressed to choose fast melta

[Iron Father Ferrum]

If vanilla Marines are a shooting army, it makes sense to me to keep the range open as long as possible. This is why I use lascannons, missile launchers, and riflemen to knock out enemy armor. I take plasma for my close-range killing since I get more shots and my LGS has a penchant for FNP. As of this writing, I have no fast melta delivery system and I do just fine.

[Meatman]

I understand that some people do not feel the need for fast melta. However, I asked for what fast melta people take, not "do you take it".

 

Lascannons have a 1 in 27 chance to kill AV14 outright, assuming no cover or not a squadron. I'd rather be able to reliably take it out, and melta is the most reliable way of achieving that goal. 5 BS4 meltas are needed as opposed to 27 lascannons.

[DarkGuard]

I used to run a squadron of two multi-melta attack bikes. They then slumped due to poor dice rolls, and the fact that my opponent always shot them, and ended up doing nothing. I went a period without them and did all right, using Sternguard with combi-meltas in a Rhino and combi-melta/meltagun Tactical squad in a Rhino.

 

However, I've found a place in my list for fast melta in my list. Now I use two single squadrons of MM/HF Speeders. I can gang them up against a vehicle if need be, or split them. They're less fragile due to being in two squadrons, and I find the movement is much better than attack bikes, due to them being able to fly over terrain and other objects. Plus the versatility you get from the heavy flamers is handy as well.

[Captain Idaho]

I understand that some people do not feel the need for fast melta. However, I asked for what fast melta people take, not "do you take it".

 

Lascannons have a 1 in 27 chance to kill AV14 outright, assuming no cover or not a squadron. I'd rather be able to reliably take it out, and melta is the most reliable way of achieving that goal. 5 BS4 meltas are needed as opposed to 27 lascannons.

 

Math-hammer gives a warped view of things. You will either destroy the target or not. You don't need 27 Lascannon shots to destroy anything, you need a single shot to destroy something. Fighting at range, a Lascannon has a chance of destroying a vehicle where as over 24" a Melta weapon hasn't.

 

Of course, I think it is needed as the AP1 plus ability to increase your chances up close means Melta is invaluable. Lascannons grant options at range, particularly at AV11 or less. Up close, meltas are king, but of course that means you are up close!

 

So anyway, like you said, let's talk about "what" instead of "do you".

 

Sooo, I think general consensus is Landspeeder armed or Attack Bike, though there does seem to be room for Drop Podded melta attacks in an army. Personally I disdain suicide units in Space Marines armies, particular infantry ones (as our infantry is more expensives than our vehicles, unlike many other armies). For this reason I wouldn't feel comfortable throwing a single unit down in a Drop Pod just to melta something, not when I can delay my attack for a turn and use a Landspeeder.

[Ishida]

Five-man Scout Squad, with pistols or shotguns, Sergeant with Combi-Melta and Meltabombs. (90 Points) Land Speeder Storm with Multimelta (65 Points). This unit can be anywhere on the table on Turn One...

 

Two BS3 Melta shots, four Krak Grenades and a Meltabomb in close combat if the shooting fails. As an added bonus, the `speeder and scouts are seperate units so you can declare the shooting from the `speeder first. If that slags the tank, you can keep the one-shot combiweapon for Turn Two.

 

At a grand total of 155 points, combined, you can pretty much guarantee that you will "make your points back," by targeting just about any tank in the game. For extra insurance, I run two of these squads ("Two is one, and one is none.") giving me the ability to double team really juicy targets (Deathstar-Taxi Land Raiders) or cover multiple armor threats (read: Guard).

[Wildfire]

Nothing beats multi-melta attack bikes. For my money, they're probably the best anti-tank in any codex for their price.

[Captain Idaho]

Five-man Scout Squad, with pistols or shotguns, Sergeant with Combi-Melta and Meltabombs. (90 Points) Land Speeder Storm with Multimelta (65 Points). This unit can be anywhere on the table on Turn One...

 

Two BS3 Melta shots, four Krak Grenades and a Meltabomb in close combat if the shooting fails. As an added bonus, the `speeder and scouts are seperate units so you can declare the shooting from the `speeder first. If that slags the tank, you can keep the one-shot combiweapon for Turn Two.

 

You are short changing yourself there buddy! The Sergeant actually has a BS4!

[greatcrusade08]

Five-man Scout Squad, with pistols or shotguns, Sergeant with Combi-Melta and Meltabombs. (90 Points) Land Speeder Storm with Multimelta (65 Points). This unit can be anywhere on the table on Turn One...

 

Two BS3 Melta shots, four Krak Grenades and a Meltabomb in close combat if the shooting fails. As an added bonus, the `speeder and scouts are seperate units so you can declare the shooting from the `speeder first. If that slags the tank, you can keep the one-shot combiweapon for Turn Two.

 

yeah as idaho says sergeant is BS4..

and just to give you something to think about.. the scout squad doesnt always get a turn 2, so what you could do is fire the combi at <6" turn one and if that kills the target fire the LSS multi melta at another target.. if the combi fails then youve still got the LSS back up..

 

its how i do it and every few games you get another kill becuase of it

[spartan249]

I use Land Speeders with Multi-melta and Typhoon Missile Launcher as my fast melta. They provide long range missile sniping nominally, while speeding forward and firing meltas at targets when needed.

 

I don't particularily find dedicated fast melta platforms very palatable, as they only lend themselves to one role. If at all possible, I want all my units to perform at both short range and long range, thus Speeders are my platform of choice.

[DarkGuard]

I use Land Speeders with Multi-melta and Typhoon Missile Launcher as my fast melta. They provide long range missile sniping nominally, while speeding forward and firing meltas at targets when needed.

 

I don't particularily find dedicated fast melta platforms very palatable, as they only lend themselves to one role. If at all possible, I want all my units to perform at both short range and long range, thus Speeders are my platform of choice.

 

I've heard of this config before, and I've never been too convinced by it. The main problem being that it's 100pts (though not much more than 90pts to be fair), but you rob the Typhoon of it's best quality, range. The heavy bolter is cheaper and offers it range while expanding on the anti-infantry provided from its frag missiles. On the other hand the multi-melta and krak missiles will rarely be used together as you'll want that 12" of movement to get in melta range.

 

However, I agree with you about dedicated fast melta being a bit iffy. I like MM/HF because of the versatility it provides, but perhaps I should have a think about using a squadron of two MM Typhoons instead of all my Speeders, would help with long-ranged anti-tank, and I could pounce on Raiders when they get close, plus give myself more points to spend. It's certainly one I'll think of, and I can see the merits, although I still feel HB Typhoons and MM/HF Speeders are perhaps the better way to go.

[spartan249]

Well, I prefer the MM/TML speeder because of the context they are usually in. Since my dreads are tottin Lascannons on them and the scouts/terminators can't carry melta, it's my Raiders and Speeders that have to take up the slack in the melta department. The way I see it, I'm only paying 10 extra points each speeder to add another capability to the speeder, allowing it to engage any and all types of targets instead of just light vehicles and infantry.

 

I used HB/TML speeders in the beginning, but I found them to be a little flaccid. The addition of a multi-melta to the speeder makes the speeder keep it's usefulness even when the missile launchers are destroyed, which was not the case when it had a heavy bolter. Yeah, it becomes a little expensive, but I don't mind paying for quality.

[glsn]

Lascannons have a 1 in 27 chance to kill AV14 outright, assuming no cover or not a squadron. I'd rather be able to reliably take it out, and melta is the most reliable way of achieving that goal. 5 BS4 meltas are needed as opposed to 27 lascannons

 

As an interesting side note, a lascannon has a 0.222 chance to do something to AV 14, a multi-melta has a 0.111 chance at 24" and a 0.277 at 12", whereas an assault cannon has a chance of 0.296 to do something. Note: this is only calculating burn through not actually destroying.

[templargdt]

Yes, but the +1 to the damage chart from the Melta is clutch.

[Captain Idaho]

Yes, but the +1 to the damage chart from the Melta is clutch.

 

It's awesome which is why I've added a pair of Landspeeders with them. But I would only ever fire it at AV13+ over range of 12" if I never had any other options open to me. Lascannons are better for that, and Assault Cannons if you got 'em.

[Jackelope King]

Melta has a much higher threat profile against Heavy Armor than a Las-Cannon, unless you spam the Las-Cannons (which takes a specific kind of list).

 

As for fast melta, I run 2-3 Multi-Melta Speeders, backed up by some midfield Multi-Melta Rhino Bunkers. In my Biker list, I back the Speeders up with at least 2 Biker Squads with 2x Meltaguns and a Multi-Melta Attack Bike (usually combat squadded for 2x Meltaguns in one squad and 1x Multi-Melta on an Attack Bike). My Biker list loves mulching mech lists :P

[Captain Idaho]

Melta has a much higher threat profile against Heavy Armor than a Las-Cannon, unless you spam the Las-Cannons (which takes a specific kind of list).

 

As for fast melta, I run 2-3 Multi-Melta Speeders, backed up by some midfield Multi-Melta Rhino Bunkers. In my Biker list, I back the Speeders up with at least 2 Biker Squads with 2x Meltaguns and a Multi-Melta Attack Bike (usually combat squadded for 2x Meltaguns in one squad and 1x Multi-Melta on an Attack Bike). My Biker list loves mulching mech lists ;)

 

Most biker lists do, you horrible lot (I'm a Mech player obviously!)

 

Yeah granted the Melta (specifically Multi-melta due to the range) does have a higher threat profile against heavy armour, but the Lascannon can damage an AV14 at 25"+ which is a positive in itself. That's why I always have at least 2 in my list, as you need some options for popping vehicles at range.

[Brother Tual]

The fastest melta in the game comes from codex spacemarines. Libby + gate and attack bikes. Nothing else can mirror this mobility and retain full ability.

IF I was EVER going to use a fast melta unit I would use this, however, melta is overated. There are better ways at killing AV.

[Bartali]

.......however, melta is overated. There are better ways at killing AV.

 

In a Space Marine list, no there isn't.

 

There's better ways of shutting down armour lists (Autocannons, Missile Launchers), but melta is still king if you want to blow something up.

 

Edit - Oh and another vote for melta speeders. Previously MM/HF, but now experimenting with the 75pt DA Multi-Melta/Typhoon Speeder