Missile launcher VS. Plasma Cannon

[Deschenus Maximus]

Missiles.

[AngelOfDeathXIII]

Because of the longer range, more diverse use, lower cost and less risk (scattering instead of exploding) I chose Missile Launchers.

[shatter]

I still prefer 2ML 1 PC 1 LC. The signum magnifies a selected strength brilliantly.

[sp4rky]

Hi guys,

 

I'm a little confused... Why does a Signum "work best" with Lascannons or Plasma Cannons? Doesn't it work just as well with everything?

[Brightguy]

Sure, but you want to bet the bonus on your highest strength weapon. Also, you can use it on only one. Many consider having one LC worth it for the BS5, but a second not worth it at only BS4.

[1Drop]

Yeah I think 2ML 1plasma and 1LC would be a good loadout if not just 4ML to save points. Guess I'll have to play around a bit to find out but having one LC for the signum seams good to me!

[Brother Biskit]

Agreed.

 

I am considering adding 2 plasmacannons to one of my Dev Squads (giving me missiles/las in 1, missiles/plas in the other)

This is how I run my Dev Squads. They are ridiculously effective and almost I almost never have any trouble finding them suitable targets. My local meta is Marines and Guard but the mix works well against 'nids and Orks as well. Most people see Devs in a BA list and think why did you bother. I can safely say they soon get the point when their biggest threats to me are ashes.

[Grizzly Adams]

4x ML. Great Range, most versatile setup. Infantry, mech, it don't matter, the ML can take care of it. And on the cheapy cheap too!

[1Drop]

I'm gonna go ahead and build 4 missile launcher, 4 plasma and 4 lascannon and then just mix them up according to what I'm facing and what points I have available I think, thanks for all the help.

[appiah4]

Sort of resurrecting the thread ;) but..

 

I already have a 5 man Devastator squad with 3 MLs.

 

I want to add a sixth member..

 

I have a spare Missile Launcher and 2 spare Plasma Cannons..

 

My first idea was to add a 4th Missile Launcher because, well, it's Internet Wisdom and how can collective nerddom go wrong?

 

Then I thought.. OK, a 4 th Missile Launcher will likely not open up any kind of armor 3 of them won't scratch.. Soo.. How about a Plasma Cannon at WS5 to better threaten horde and/or heavy infantry?

 

What say you?

[1Drop]

Yeah I think you should add plasma.. Me personally I have two devs units, one is 2 missile launcher and 2 plasma cannon and the other is two missile launcher and two lascannon. I think you should make 2 plasma cannons and have 2 of each and then if you wanted to you could combat squad them and have the missile launchers sitting back blowing up transports and stuff and get the two plasma cannons a bit closer for taking out hordes and marines etc maybe assisting clearing a home objective of any unwelcome visitors.

[bushman101]

I'm surprised to see no one bringing Multi-melta.

When I run Devs, I at least bring one. Sure, it has a smaller range, but if something really needs to be dealt with, it does the job.

 

I usually run: 1 M-melta, 2 missle, and either a Lascannon or a H bolter depending on the rest of the list

[Redfinger]

ML x 4 for all the already stated reasons.....on occasion I will go ML x 3 LC x 1

 

 

Ashton

[1Drop]

I'm surprised to see no one bringing Multi-melta.

When I run Devs, I at least bring one. Sure, it has a smaller range, but if something really needs to be dealt with, it does the job.

 

I usually run: 1 M-melta, 2 missle, and either a Lascannon or a H bolter depending on the rest of the list

 

I just feel that the attack bike is a much more effective way to get a multimelta to where it needs to be!

 

I like the one two combo of missile launcher/plasma cannon, blow the transport open with a ML and evaporate it's contents with the plasma cannon.

[1Drop]

I'm surprised to see no one bringing Multi-melta.

When I run Devs, I at least bring one. Sure, it has a smaller range, but if something really needs to be dealt with, it does the job.

 

I usually run: 1 M-melta, 2 missle, and either a Lascannon or a H bolter depending on the rest of the list

 

I just feel that the attack bike is a much more effective way to get a multimelta to where it needs to be!

 

I like the one two combo of missile launcher/plasma cannon, blow the transport open with a ML and evaporate it's contents with the plasma cannon.

[Brother Theophantus]

I'm surprised to see no one bringing Multi-melta.

When I run Devs, I at least bring one. Sure, it has a smaller range, but if something really needs to be dealt with, it does the job.

 

I usually run: 1 M-melta, 2 missle, and either a Lascannon or a H bolter depending on the rest of the list

 

I just feel that the attack bike is a much more effective way to get a multimelta to where it needs to be!

 

I like the one two combo of missile launcher/plasma cannon, blow the transport open with a ML and evaporate it's contents with the plasma cannon.

 

Unfortunately this would only work on the next turn as all weapons in a squad count as firing at the same time so the plasma cannon would have to fire at the transport as well.

[1Drop]

I'm surprised to see no one bringing Multi-melta.

When I run Devs, I at least bring one. Sure, it has a smaller range, but if something really needs to be dealt with, it does the job.

 

I usually run: 1 M-melta, 2 missle, and either a Lascannon or a H bolter depending on the rest of the list

 

I just feel that the attack bike is a much more effective way to get a multimelta to where it needs to be!

 

I like the one two combo of missile launcher/plasma cannon, blow the transport open with a ML and evaporate it's contents with the plasma cannon.

 

Unfortunately this would only work on the next turn as all weapons in a squad count as firing at the same time so the plasma cannon would have to fire at the transport as well.

 

I forgot to mention that they would be combat squaded, the ML guys would be standing back while the plasma dudes would be in closer to wreck what comes out plus will have plenty of support incase something tries to assault them!

[PD78]

I specialize my units, so a dev squad would end up being 4 lascannon or 4 missile launcher (lascannon for tankbusters, missile launcher for horde-killers). I see the appeal of a mixed weaponry dev squad, but it's less effective at putting the fire you need in the right place. If you run 2ML 1HB 1LC, for instance, you're either wasting heavy bolter shots against armor, or you're wasting the LC shot against troops (granted, it's not an absolute waste, since a LC hit is instakill on almost anything, but still).

 

Same dilemma as the autocannon/lascannon predators, but devs are combat squaddable. I think the appeal in 3ed and 4ed was that plasma cannons didn't have the Gets Hot! rule, so there wasn't a chance of splortching your own model. Come to think of it, I don't exactly remember any plasma weapon in 4ed having the Gets Hot! rule. Could be because I've never really been a fan, though.

[knife&fork]

Same dilemma as the autocannon/lascannon predators...

 

I don't think there's a dilemma. The Autocannon and lascannon both do well against light armor, against AV13 the las autocannon is a bonus and AV14 is why you have meltas. ;)

[PD78]

A lascannon/las sponson pred is far better at tankbusting than an autocannon/las sponson pred, and an autocannon/heavy bolter pred is far better at troop targets than a las/las pred. Here's my thoughts on list building from a player that's been undefeated since before warhammer 40k was warhammer 40k (I started playing during the rogue trader days):

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...howtopic=229530

 

I don't believe in mixing weapon types in units or on tanks. Pick a role for your unit, then gear it up appropriately for it to do the best that it can possibly do in that role. CAN an autocannon pop light armor? Yep. Is it the BEST choice for the job? Nope.

[knife&fork]

A lascannon/las sponson pred is far better at tankbusting than an autocannon/las sponson pred, and an autocannon/heavy bolter pred is far better at troop targets than a las/las pred. Here's my thoughts on list building from a player that's been undefeated since before warhammer 40k was warhammer 40k (I started playing during the rogue trader days):

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...howtopic=229530

 

I don't believe in mixing weapon types in units or on tanks. Pick a role for your unit, then gear it up appropriately for it to do the best that it can possibly do in that role. CAN an autocannon pop light armor? Yep. Is it the BEST choice for the job? Nope.

 

All LC preds are good but too expensive for my taste, the AC/LAS is already pushing it. AC / HB suffers greatly from poor AP. The AC LC pred is good versus light and medium armor, can be a threat to AV14 and in a pinch it does pretty well against heavy infantry.

 

I'm not going to bother with that link since anyone who claim they've played for 25 years with zero losses are either big fat liars or they play one a game a year, against their mom.

[PD78]

No, But I did take a break from around 2005 to just about a week ago and haven't managed to play in any tournaments. And I lost once, to movie marines - not sure that should even count as a loss, though. Haven't lost to any tournament legal armies.

 

Read it or don't read it though. I think the ideas are solid, and I'm putting my undefeated record behind them. If you want a TL;DR of it, here you go:

 

3 concepts to building a winning army:

 

Specialization: pick a role for each unit in your list, then give it the best possible gear to accomplish that role, e.g. shooty units should take storm bolters instead of mixing and matching with storm bolters + power fist.

Redundancy: more is better e.g. 2 lascannons in a sternguard veterans squad instead of just one. That way if you lose one to some funky LoS trick, you've still got one.

Weight of dice: choose the options that have you rolling the most dice possible, e.g. pistols/ccw in your SoS (Source of Slaw = source of the slaughter, aka CC specialists) instead of replacing 2 bp/ccw with meltas or regular flamers/combi-weapons

 

2 subconcepts:

Flexibility: can be simply expressed as a ratio of anti-infantry (horde-killers) to anti-tank (tankbusters). I like to go with 70/30 hordekillers/tankbusters, since it's worked for me

Adaptability: don't expect your brilliant battle plan to survive past the first turn, because your opponent likely isn't going to play along with it.

[Morollan]

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.

 

That holds true for TDA GK's but for PA I actually prefer Krak missiles. The small blast marker for the Plasma Cannon rarely catches more than 2 models unless you are lucky enough to face someone who likes to clump their models together and, with the added risk of scatter, it can be very unreliable, particularly when compared to 4 x S8 Krak missiles. A 130 point squad should expect to kill 3 PA models a turn from 48" range and can also deal with any vehicles or switch to Frag for other infantry targets. It's only really Terminators that they have a hard time with but you should have plenty of other options in your army for taking them out.

[JamesI]

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.

 

That holds true for TDA GK's but for PA I actually prefer Krak missiles. The small blast marker for the Plasma Cannon rarely catches more than 2 models unless you are lucky enough to face someone who likes to clump their models together and, with the added risk of scatter, it can be very unreliable, particularly when compared to 4 x S8 Krak missiles. A 130 point squad should expect to kill 3 PA models a turn from 48" range and can also deal with any vehicles or switch to Frag for other infantry targets. It's only really Terminators that they have a hard time with but you should have plenty of other options in your army for taking them out.

I agree with Morollan. I can understand throwing in 1 plasma cannon for an additional boost to a dev squad, or going plasma cannon heavy if you face lots of Deathwing, GK those kinds of armies. But against most foes, krak missiles are fine and cheap.

[1Drop]

I guess there is a reason why 4 x ML is the favourite now, because it's the most effective and cheapest. I think I'd still like to take a plasma cannon or two with me though, just incase.