Beginner Tactica: Shooting.

[Morticon]

Just wanted to post something i've been working on.

It's not yet BA specific, (i'll be adding more to it soon to try theme it towards there) but for the most part this is a tactica I thought up for beginner/intermediate players that may be struggling with their games.

 

I found recently from playing a few friends that no matter how solid their armies were, their poor shooting choices allowed me to capitalise on their mistakes/inaction and eventually walk over them.

 

I hope the newer players find this useful !

 

1. Shooting Priority

 

A: Take a look at each individual unit you have available to shoot. Do the following check:

* What can the unit shoot at?

Start with the shooting of those units that have only one option - remember the mantra: "Go with what you know!". After that point, continue with the rest of the assessment.

 

* Out of those units above, what can the shooting unit be statistically expected to kill/damage substantially?

This is an important check to make, but its one that will require you to know the numbers- eg: a Black Templar squad of 5men with one lascannon and one plasmagun, and three bolters is in 24" range of a two attack bikers in cover. They are also in 48" range of a rhino- not in cover. The biker pose the most immediate threat, but with cover and armour saves you will be hardpressed to kill the bikers outright.

 

* Conversely, can the target be statistically expected to kill/damage of your units.

* What is the biggest/most immediate threat to you?

Can this threat be dealt with in combat or subsequent turns?

 

* What difference will destroying/damaging the target make to the enemies plan?

Sometimes, targeting a unit that is not necessarily the most immediate threat may be necessary to take down as it’s a lynch pin in the enemies army. An army that has exceptional close combat troops in fragile transports would maybe require more focus on the transports at first than you would expect.

 

* If your firing unit is infantry, is the best target for shooting also the best unit to charge?

 

* What's the backup plan?

 

B: Don't be hesitant to forgo some of your available weapons (due to LOS restrictions etc.) In order to attack a smarter target, or position yourself in a way to minimise return fire.

C: Targets to consider as a threat:

 

1: Enemy units that have strong mobile fire-power.

2: Fast moving enemy units(especially if scoring).

3: Transport units that conatain either slow or dangerous units.

4: Any single unit that you are unable to adequately deal with in close combat.:

 

D: Try sequence your shooting in a way that leaves you with overlapping options. Starting with the above mentioned “go with what you know”.

Eg:

You have Targets A, B and C. You have firing units 1, 2, 3 and 4.

1 can only see A.

2 Can see A and B.

3 can see A, B and C and 4 can see B and C.

1 obviously fires first. Then, depending on whether or not you have destroyed A, move to the next firer – saving 3 for last since it can see all the targets.

 

 

These concepts wont always net you a solid and definitive answer as to what to shoot at- reason being the options and variables are so far ranging. However, you should get to the stage where more than half of these factors are calculated just by looking at the situation and you make better informed decisions about target priority.

 

 

Hope that helps.

 

Comments welcome.

[Gv0zD]

Thanks, Mort! A useful article, very well structured. :)

[Brother Nathan]

nice. also consider doing something like should you shoot or run....

[Drachnon]

Personally I would add templates first, when shooting at single unit with multiple squads always fire templates first so the opponent can't remove casualties in a way that lowers the hits you would normally have.

 

Also you should also keep in mind how many models are in charge range before shooting if only one or two of your opponents models are in charge range you might want to forgo shooting at it all together even if that means a unit won't have any other targets.

[terminatorAM]

there's also the decision of whether or not to concentrate fire from multiple units to completely destroy a target or just cripple them enough to make them unthreatening e.i. immobilizing a transport or reducing infantry to 25% so a small assault unit can clean them up

[BAJake]

Nice article, those have been tactics ive actually been working on lately. Also One thing that I like to add is a unit or two that are One trick ponies (Furioso with frag cannon, magna grapple, meltagun inside a pod) that I know will have a 90% chance of demolishing a ranged threat..

[Deschenus Maximus]

I'd say it's a good base, Mort, but if you're aiming this at newbies, you're going to have to expand considerably to make it clear to them. Single-liners are good for vets (as a form of checklist), but for newbies, you really need to get into the nitty-gritty if you want them to understand.

[Emperors Immortals]

really nice Mort, perhaps a bit more indepth explanation would be good, also i think this woudl be a great intro to Killhammer tactics - do you like the idea of killhammer?

[Morticon]

Dunno what killhammer is dude. ><;

Thanks for the feedback so far!

[Emperors Immortals]

Id love to read a bit more Mort, are youplanning on expanding this into a series to cover all the phases?

 

Also, Killhammer is an older idea to cover statistical threats on teh table top, it basically helps decide shooting order and threats to your troops.Here is the original article.

 

Its got some good ideas, but is a little long winded in parts IMHO.

[Warp Angel]

Id love to read a bit more Mort, are youplanning on expanding this into a series to cover all the phases?

 

Also, Killhammer is an older idea to cover statistical threats on teh table top, it basically helps decide shooting order and threats to your troops.Here is the original article.

 

Its got some good ideas, but is a little long winded in parts IMHO.

 

Long winded and in need of revision. The original poster was an idiot and some days I don't know what the :censored: he was thinking. If I were him, I'd take the time to update, streamline, and recompile it into something more current and digestible.

[1Drop]

Thanks Mort, it's nice to have someone writing some tactica for those of us that aren't gaming vets. I've been a modeler since first edition and have played games of 40k in the past but as far as tactics and the more technical aspects of the game I'm a novice. I'm currently learning and reading the current 40k rule book as well as building up my army and it can all be overwhelming sometimes and I haven't played a game yet since I started again so I haven't been able to sort of learn that way so basically what I'm getting to here is me reading alot of the tactica I see on here it probably would be better explained in a way as if you were talking to a complete beginner who doesn't know the mechanics of the game!

 

I'm really looking forward to getting my army painted so I can start playing and practising and start to understand more alot of the advice and stuff I get from you guys. I guess when I actually start playing alot of this will all start to make sense to me and then I can start putting all of the expert advice into play and kick some buts! Haha.

[Morticon]

Id love to read a bit more Mort, are youplanning on expanding this into a series to cover all the phases?

 

Also, Killhammer is an older idea to cover statistical threats on teh table top, it basically helps decide shooting order and threats to your troops.Here is the original article.

 

Its got some good ideas, but is a little long winded in parts IMHO.

 

Long winded and in need of revision. The original poster was an idiot and some days I don't know what the :censored: he was thinking. If I were him, I'd take the time to update, streamline, and recompile it into something more current and digestible.

 

 

Hhahhaha ;)

I was about to invisy your post Warp Angel!! Then I checked the OP. Man, that made my day. Funny funny. :D

[Warp Angel]

Hhahhaha ^_^

I was about to invisy your post Warp Angel!! Then I checked the OP. Man, that made my day. Funny funny. ;)

 

Well, it is in serious need of revision and it is more than a bit wordy in some places. :)

 

There are plenty of people, like you, Jackalope King, and others that have provided different tacticas and sometimes complimentary ideas that have enhanced my thought proceses and tactica as well, and that sort of thing needs to be referenced and included in a revision.

 

I simply don't have the time at the moment to do a full revision. :(