Tactics for Grand Cruisers

[minigun762]

Grand Cruisers seem to occupy this odd little niche between heavy/battlecruisers and battleships but with seemingly no advantage to either.

They have the same fleet composition requirements of the more powerful battleships but often don't have much more firepower than the average heavy/battlecruiser.

 

I hate to just write off a ship, especially an entire class of ships so I'm reaching out to see if we can find the best ways to use these oddballs.

[Seahawk]

At a-con, my second opponent squadroned together his two Murders and the Repulsive...decent firepower boost, for sure.

 

I don't know if I'd recommend it, but it seemed to do okay.

[Captain Idaho]

I'm not a Chaos player but I presume it's a case of getting superior firepower to a Cruiser for cheaper than a Battle Ship. After all, looking at the cost of a Despoiler Class Battle Ship compared to a Repulsive Grand Cruiser is quite a difference. Taking 2 Despoilers is extremely expensive, where as a single Despoiler and a Grand Cruiser means you get more points for other toys.

[minigun762]

Seahawk: Its an interesting idea but forcing the murders to slow down to 20cm seems annoying and a hades can be paired with them cheaper and perform better.

 

Captain Idaho: Between the despoiler and repulsive you're absolutely right, there is a significant point difference. However the desolator battleship is only 70 points more then the stock respulsive, even less once you've upgraded it and has superior shields, turrets, speed, torpedos and long range firepower.

 

For the Imperials, the lack of a 6+ nose means they can't fit into the standard battleline as effectively.

 

In theory it looks like they should be your standard "cruiser killer" type of ship but the main bonus they have over the standard cruiser is increased durability, not normally increased firepower.

[Seahawk]

Whoops, scratch that idea. Apparently you aren't allowed to squadron up grand cruisers with any other ship type (BBB, p.105). Hooray, pretty much all of my opponents from Adepticon did stuff wrong! :P

 

Still beat them down!

[Vesper]

Even if I'm not fond of grand cruisers, I'd tend to prefer the Retaliator over the Repulsive.

It's a bit more expensive but very versatile and comes with a nice special rule.

[Captain Tezdal]

Personally I use the Repulsive because its such an awesome model, plus in smaller point games you can't always wedge in a battleship into your list.

[horizon]

Hey,

 

Add 2 Vengeances to an Emperor in a line 15cm closer to the enemy and you have an awesome gun line. All three ships benefit from being abeam. Make use of that. Being abeam means it is harder for the enemy to hit you.

 

The Vengeance outshoots any Imperial battlecruiser.

 

The Excorcist is also a great grand cruiser for its point value. Also very suited in a tandem with a second Excorcist or a Vengeance.

[Seahawk]

Can't have grand cruisers and battleships in the same squadron though ;).

[horizon]

Yeah, I know.

 

That's why I say 'add' not 'squadron'. ;)

 

They can still work together.

 

Same as a Gothic & Dominator work together (where as 2 Lunars must be squadroned).

[Seahawk]

Ahh :D

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

having been out of 40k and BFG for a over a year now (damn navy) i can't really say a whole lot rules or game wise right now, but the question you put forth is the same as was asked in real life navies about battlecruisers vs heavy cruisers and battleships.

 

the battlecruiser was an attempt to create a 'cruiser killer' class of ship, a ship that could easily outgun a cruiser but sacrafices armor for speed (the iowa class battleship of WWII however made the battlecruiser completely redundant.)

 

any way i'd say look at the stats of each ship groupings, and take a little gander into that real life question and see what seems more appropriate.

 

 

now something that may be a bit more immediately, the grandcruiser may just be there to play 'baby battleship' for lower point games, so look at it that way.