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Missile launcher VS. Plasma Cannon


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Ok so I bought a couple of boxes of devs and I have enough to make a squad of 4 plasma cannon and I now have 4 missile launchers too so that's 1 squad of 4 x plasma cannon and 4 x missile launcher so basically I wanna know why people are favouring ML's over PC's now as everyone was into 4 x plasma devs when I last played in 2002 also what is your favourite load out for devs squads and why, not only the 4 heavy weapons but the rest of the squad too!?

 

I'm totally new too devs squads so as much detail as possible on the pros and cons of all the heavy weapons available would be highly apreciated... Thanks.

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I havn't fielded Dev's since switching to the BA 'dex, but if those two were a choice I had to make I'd do with Missile Launchers.

 

Reasoning: They are cheaper points-wise. Longer range. They are better at cracking vehicles. If you need to deal with a horde army you can fire frag instead of krak. Sure plasma is more killy, but it can also kill your own guys (my opponent this past Saturday actually had that happen to him).

I use Missile Launcher Devs. There's a few reasons why ML's are favored at the moment.

 

Plasma cannons are primarily mid-field anti-infantry weapons. In particular, anti-heavy infantry. And while they excel in that role, most BA armies do a pretty good job of removing infantry. The dual nature of missile launchers means they are nearly as effective against infantry, have better range, and posses one key stat. Strength 8. ML's can pen AV13 and glance AV14. Plasma can only glance AV13. It might seem like an insignificant difference, but when stun-locking your opponents mech can often win games for you, the advantage of ML's becomes more clear. Also, saving 20 points per Dev squad might seem insignificant, but it also allows you to add more firepower to Sergeants in other squads, etc.

 

GK's throw a wrench into all of that, of course. Suddenly plasma based weaponry becomes much more attractive. On the other hand, good target selection and focus firing might be just as effective. Time will tell as we all get more experience fighting them.

It really depends what the meta is like where you play. For example, all of the guys I play regulary are meq and field little to no armour so 4xPC is easily the best choice for me. If your area is more like the average though and has a reasonable amount of horde players and a fair amount of armour the ML's might work out best.

Yeah, I already have two missile launcher marines and with the two boxes I got I can make another two but I think I am gonna make 4 plasma too just for when I go up against grey knights. I could make 4 lascannon instead though, I basically have the option to make them any weapon I want so after I've made 4 missile launcher do you guys think 4 plasma is the best way to go for the rest of the boxes?

 

And what about the rest of the squad, what weapons are best to give to the guys who don't have heavy weapons and what is the best loadout for the sarg?

Yeah, I already have two middle launcher marines and with the two boxes I got I can make another two but I think I al gonna make 4 plasma too just for when I go up against grey knights, I could make 4 lascannon instead though, I basically have the option to make them any weapon I want so after I ua e made 4 missile launcher do you guys think 4 plasma is the best way to go for the rest of the boxes?

 

Yes. Having the 4 HPC's available would be a nice option. And under certain circumstances you could always run 2+2 squads to give you some interesting targeting choices.

 

The rest of the squad can only have bolters. As for the Sarge, I say keep him on the cheap side. Most of the time you want him using his Signum anyway, so an extra shooting weapon doesn't make sense. Magnetizing a power fist as an option might be handy, in case you feel you need one for covering against "hard" units that make it to your backline.

This is weird. I've been thinking of getting a couple of boxes of Devastators next week too.

I have an idea of equipping each unit with 2 plasma cannons and two heavy bolters.

With each unit supported by their own Sanguinary priest.

I like plasma weapons.

My one rocket launcher marine from the second tactical has had good success though, in the three games I've ever played :D

(And yes, I used a captain as well.)

 

The other night I had this really weird dream that I was a Devastator Marine using a heavy bolter but it wouldn't work, like it was jammed or something. When I looked down I saw that the heavy bolter was made of plastic.

The other night I had this really weird dream that I was a Devastator Marine using a heavy bolter but it wouldn't work, like it was jammed or something. When I looked down I saw that the heavy bolter was made of plastic.

 

 

Woah that's creepy bro, I would take that as I sign not to use heavy bolters!

 

I'm gonna make 4 missile launcher and 4 plasma cannon I've decided! I have one ML guy from a tactical squad I don't use and I have another from the DA veterans box that I'm converting into honour guard plus I can use the tactical squad to flesh out my devs squads for wound allocation, eventually I have a use for those tac marines :D

The other night I had this really weird dream that I was a Devastator Marine using a heavy bolter but it wouldn't work, like it was jammed or something. When I looked down I saw that the heavy bolter was made of plastic.

 

^^ that just made my evening.

 

 

I just ditched devastators from my list in favour of a Land Raider, but when I had them I had reasonable success with 4x missile launchers. As already said above, against armour 4x S8 missiles per turn is a recipe to ruin someone's day.

I use a 10man Dev. Squad with 2 plasma cannons and two lascannons. I Split into combat squads at the deployment, and have an anti-infantry/heavy infantry squad, and an anti-vehicle/monster squad. Then I deploy them where they have cover and good lines of site. I get two squads that do different jobs for one slot on the FOC.

 

Note that our BA Devs get plasma and lascannons for 10 pts. less than vanilla marines. ;)

I use a 10man Dev. Squad with 2 plasma cannons and two lascannons. I Split into combat squads at the deployment, and have an anti-infantry/heavy infantry squad, and an anti-vehicle/monster squad. Then I deploy them where they have cover and good lines of site. I get two squads that do different jobs for one slot on the FOC.

 

Note that our BA Devs get plasma and lascannons for 10 pts. less than vanilla marines.

 

Pretty much what I do, but often times I'll have a second combat squaded group of Devestators w/ 4xML as well. Give nice saturation and supressing fire for a fairly modest point investment and with a priest in cover is a very survivable fire base.

Lascannons are a great option for Dev's in my opinion and they've come through for me in some clutch situations. The only real downside to them is their price, but at least were not paying vanilla marine prices! If I take Lascannons the Srg always goes with them, a BS5 S9 shot is pretty tasty.
Lascannons are a great option for Dev's in my opinion and they've come through for me in some clutch situations. The only real downside to them is their price, but at least were not paying vanilla marine prices! If I take Lascannons the Srg always goes with them, a BS5 S9 shot is pretty tasty.

 

What is the benefit of the sarg being with the lascannons?

I play 9th co. Imperial Fists, so I've got a fair few loadouts.

 

4x ML is the best jack of all trades in the current meta, but I'd consider including a plasma cannon in that squad and using the signum with it.

 

2x PC, 2xMM is good for combat squadding. Rhino bunker the MM squad and fire them through the top hatch. the LC squad can sit back and take out heavy infantry and transports using the signum

 

4x Las although expensive are the best tank busters, but have been outdated by melta-spam. Take an honour guard squad with jump packs and four meltaguns instead.

 

4x HB are great against medium infantry, but you've got plenty of options for doing that already and AP4 makes them suck at anything else. 4xML is the better option even against hordes - frag the horde, krak the big stuff. I made these guys because I had the parts but they're pretty much retired.

 

4x PC is a hangover from 3rd ed, and may mae a comeback against Grey Knights. Sadly the new scatter rules put many off, but if you're facing a lot of power armour then this is one of the few times devs still beat tanks. Expect to lose at least one guy a game to overheats, more if you're unlucky, but remember there's only a 1:18 chance of an individual marine dying from an overheat in any given turn. I'll let you do the math for what that adds up to for four guys over the course of an average game, but if each one kills a terminator or a couple of marines he's made his points back.

 

The key with devs is really target selection.

Yeah I have a melta/jp HG squad I'm about to start on. I was thinking of using a squad of multimelta devs in a similar fashion but I don't know if this is very viable or not!? I am starting to like the idea of dev squads more and more and I'm really hoping I can work them into my current mech list that I am building.

 

Also... What's a 'signum'? (sorry :lol: lol)

I use 2xML, 1xLC and 1xHB. It's a bit of a compromise, but allows it to engage all targets effectively. Singum goes to the LC on anti-armor making and it's not much less effective at that role. The HB helps against infantry. Either the LC or HB tends to be wasted in any particular volley, but 3/4 and flexibilty isn't bad.
The other night I had this really weird dream that I was a Devastator Marine using a heavy bolter but it wouldn't work, like it was jammed or something. When I looked down I saw that the heavy bolter was made of plastic.

 

 

Woah that's creepy bro, I would take that as I sign not to use heavy bolters!

 

 

 

Haha, I thought that for a moment.

But no.

My faith is my shield!

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