Why is Inferno pistol disliked so much?

[knife&fork]

I've only used one on my captain equipped with a power weapon so far, but it has come through for me more than once. Let's not forget, many things out there are toughness 4, so while a plasma pistol will wound them, an infernus pistol will usually earn you a kill, especially against multiple wound models. If you have the extra bits, try building an extra model and trying one out.

Ok, how many things do you encounter where a single ID shot is actually useful? If its a character accompanying a squad - your opponent is foolish to put the shot on him, even with an invulnerable save. Or its a squad of multi-wound models. So Ork nobs, Tyranid warriors, Tau crisis suits, Ogryns (cant think of anything else off the top of my head?). If you're relying on an ID shot when dealing with one of these squads you've already lost - a PP would serve just as well in any of these situations and you ought to be tooling around with backup (that you could buy because you saved the points on all those IP's). If its a T3 model, PP will ID just as well, from further...

 

Paladins.....

 

You're also forgetting that a plasma pistol shot can be beneficial to take on a multiwound character because you don't risk losing an entire model from the accompanying squad. With a S8 hit that option suddenly becomes a lot less attractive.

[Brother Kovash]

I've only used one on my captain equipped with a power weapon so far, but it has come through for me more than once. Let's not forget, many things out there are toughness 4, so while a plasma pistol will wound them, an infernus pistol will usually earn you a kill, especially against multiple wound models. If you have the extra bits, try building an extra model and trying one out.

Ok, how many things do you encounter where a single ID shot is actually useful? If its a character accompanying a squad - your opponent is foolish to put the shot on him, even with an invulnerable save. Or its a squad of multi-wound models. So Ork nobs, Tyranid warriors, Tau crisis suits, Ogryns (cant think of anything else off the top of my head?). If you're relying on an ID shot when dealing with one of these squads you've already lost - a PP would serve just as well in any of these situations and you ought to be tooling around with backup (that you could buy because you saved the points on all those IP's). If its a T3 model, PP will ID just as well, from further...

 

Did you even read my post? I've used one IP only on a Captain, a model that I only field because it's in a friendly environment and I have extra points lying around. Speaking of which, the way people are talking about points costs, you all must be reading the codex improperly, because an IP isn't a game breaking decision to equip or not. I know I'm not the only person here to write up a list and have extra points sitting there unused. Try experimenting with the IP, you might end up liking it.

 

I've never relied on the IP to guarantee an instant death kill, but when it's worked for me the results are more than worth the cost. Have an open mind, don't be so quick to denounce a new weapon or idea.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

One of the major disadvantages of plasma in general is overheating. I know people who refuse to use any plasma because they lost a Marine at one time due to a plasma weapon overheating. Sure that might be silly but it happens.

 

I would never take a melter pistol over a meltagun for an assault Marine but for characters always take the pistol - you're potentially giving up an attack in melee plus to say pistols are a one shot weapon is certainly not true - especially versus heavily mechanized armies with little or nothing in the way of dedicated assault units such as IG or even missile spam SW armies. Sanguinary Guard, which is a great unit in my opinion don't have access to combi weapons. It shouldn't be a problem moving a jump unit into half range.

 

G :)

[Fortunate Son]

My librarian certainly liked having his infernus pistol in a recent game when 2 Libby Dreads podded in close to my line.

He stepped away from his unit to shoot one point blank and immobilized it.

I'll take an immobilized 175pt dreadnought for 15 points any day.

[HERO]

I absolutely love the infernus pistol personally. It gives you an extra cc attack, can instant kill most common multi wound models, to me is very aesthetically pleasing, I love melta weapons in general, plus is highl yeffective for RAS and other jumpers for tank popping considering youll be right next to the tank anyways and probably going to assault it. But with this you can pop it and hten assault its contents. So it really leaves you open and gives you that extra cc to boot so to me it seems to be great for transports and such.

 

I think its a fair points cost for the trade of of half range for a bonus cc attack on assault troops. ^_^

 

Pretty much this.

 

3" melta is whatevs, but it's the S8 AP1 shot that I really care about..

[knife&fork]

What about storm shields? We happily put them on every other veteran but not in assault squads.

[JamesI]

I don't think storm shields are generally worth it. You don't want to absorb power weapon/ap1-3 hits on the sergeant unless he's the last guy left. And if he's the last guy left, well, its probably over anyway.

[breng77]

I think the issue with IPs is that cost. People here keep comparing it to melta guns, and looking at the pricetag in a vaccuum. I think the issue becomes that often models that can take an IP are also taking other wargear.

 

i.e. and RAS sarge often takes a power fist, in this case the IP loses the it gives you an additional attack ability, ontop of which that sarge is now essentially 68 points, which means if he dies that is a big chunk of points.

 

Also if you look at giving IPs to every sarge, or IC in your army you could be looking at 100ish points which is no small ammout.

 

Finally people keep touting the pistol status of the weapon saying if gives you an attack...this is false as most characters/sarges have a pistol, so all that happens is that you don't lose an attack (assuming you have a PW or regular weapon, if you have any other weapon then you lose the attack regardless).

 

I don't think storm shields are generally worth it. You don't want to absorb power weapon/ap1-3 hits on the sergeant unless he's the last guy left. And if he's the last guy left, well, its probably over anyway.

 

Agreed, again often that sarge is carrying a bunch of the CC power of the squad (as well as the LD bonus) Giving him a Storm Shield means that you. want to use him to soak up low AP wounds, which if he has other gear is a bad idea.

[Zhukov]

On the other hand, one shouldn't just look at the cost of the sergeant either when giving him an infernus pistol. If your squad costs over 100 points already, then 15 points is a relative small points increase for (when you get the pistol in range) 33% or 50% increase in AT firepower.

 

It's hard to say when an Infernus pistol is worth it and when not. I play with 5 man squad sizes myself and both have lists with them and without them.

 

On priests I would always go with a combimelta though, you usually don't get to use Infernus Pistols more than 1 time either and the increase in range + small price reduction is really good. Pistol doesn't matter either, as you can just buy a Lightning Claw instead of Power Weapon. (didn't read all comments, so maybe I say something somebody else already did)

[breng77]

While it is true that by itself 15 points is not a lot, if you upgrade 10 models 15 points it adds up to another full squad. (just using 10 for easy math)

[Zhukov]

Certainly true. When I make lists I always look in the end if I can't make the list stronger by dropping upgrades to buy another unit ;)

[Drunken Angel]

The IP is pretty handy in some cases and redundant in others, anything pretty much kills an orc or a guard conscript only melta and plasma will kill paladins.

I think the increase in multiwound T4 paladin lists will make infernus pistols more attractive I am looking at taking three meltas in a 10 man squad now, 2 meltaguns and the sgt with infernus pistol and either power fist or thunderhammer.

I can see valid reason in dropping models for upgrades when you are dealing with low model count hard to kill armies

The fact the Sgt may be one of the last ones alive makes the infernus pistol on him even more attractive.

[knife&fork]

The fact the Sgt may be one of the last ones alive makes the infernus pistol on him even more attractive.

 

This is one of the reasons I have started to consider the storm shield. After all the power fist is your main way of doing damage in CC, against many opponents the final wound count from the fist will outnumber all the wounds from regular attacks. It's not like I want to allocate low AP wounds to the sarge, but often you don't have much of a choice.

 

20 pts is not cheap, and can't be combined with any ranged weapon if you also want the fist, but I'll give it a go in a few games. I'm not particular impressed with the damage output (or survivability) of assault squads so I've been thinking about alternatives to the usual 2*MG+fist.

[Drunken Angel]

The fact the Sgt may be one of the last ones alive makes the infernus pistol on him even more attractive.

 

This is one of the reasons I have started to consider the storm shield. After all the power fist is your main way of doing damage in CC, against many opponents the final wound count from the fist will outnumber all the wounds from regular attacks. It's not like I want to allocate low AP wounds to the sarge, but often you don't have much of a choice.

 

20 pts is not cheap, and can't be combined with any ranged weapon if you also want the fist, but I'll give it a go in a few games. I'm not particular impressed with the damage output (or survivability) of assault squads so I've been thinking about alternatives to the usual 2*MG+fist.

 

 

Yeah me too, you dont allocate early invun saves to the Sgt the squad die for him first but near the end game when volume of attacks/shooting is diminished through attrition an opponent will likely preserve the low AP/ power weapon stuff and that is when cover/shields shine.

The Sarge only has to live a little bit longer to deny the KP/hold. Who wants to trade combat with something that hits at S9 has 9 ablative wounds and then a 3++ invun

[knife&fork]

Yeah me too, you dont allocate early invun saves to the Sgt the squad die for him first but near the end game when volume of attacks/shooting is diminished through attrition an opponent will likely preserve the low AP/ power weapon stuff and that is when cover/shields shine.

The Sarge only has to live a little bit longer to deny the KP/hold. Who wants to trade combat with something that hits at S9 has 9 ablative wounds and then a 3++ invun

 

Sometimes you over invest and sometimes you don't invest enough. Finding out where that point is needs some trial and error.

[knife&fork]

If the 6th ed rumors that you'll be able to use pistols again in CC are true I'd expect IP+SS to become a pretty attractive option.

[Drunken Angel]

If the 6th ed rumors that you'll be able to use pistols again in CC are true I'd expect IP+SS to become a pretty attractive option.

We have SS IP available to grunts in spades that would really negate the advantages of a unit like GK who have virtually no melta or plasma at basic troop level.

There may be a bright future for the IP but some of us were already moving that way

[knife&fork]

If the 6th ed rumors that you'll be able to use pistols again in CC are true I'd expect IP+SS to become a pretty attractive option.

We have SS IP available to grunts in spades that would really negate the advantages of a unit like GK who have virtually no melta or plasma at basic troop level.

There may be a bright future for the IP but some of us were already moving that way

 

Vanguard blob with 10*IP and 10*SS, just saying :devil:

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

If you use the Sanguinor then it helps to arm your sergeants with stormshields - especially for heavy assault armies.

 

G :P