First games of 6th!

[Abaddonshand]

Hey all, played my first two games of 6th last night, and I'm pleased to report I won both. The first was against Ultramarines at 2k led by Calgar, including one unit of hammernators and one unit of tactical terminators, playing the crusade mission with the diagonal deployment. My list was grandmaster w/ halberd, incinerator, psychotrokes, rads, librarian w/ warding stave, 5 man paladin squad (4 swords, 1 hammer and psycannon), 10 man terminator squad (combat squading both games) (2 hammers, 8 halberds, 2 psycannon), 10 man strike and interceptor squads (7 swords, 2 psycannon, halberd on justicar), psyfleman, Dreadknight with personal teleporter.

 

Epic moments included Calgar and the dreadnknight fist fighting for two turns, and Calgar charging my fleeing grandmaster and 2 remaining paladins, only for me to remember the psychotroke grenades I hadn't used when he charged them the first time, and rolling a 2, reducing him to 1 attack and being hit automatically! Men of the match were the interceptors, who wiped a tactical squad from an objective by shooting and cc, nearly did likewise on a second objective and then delayed Calgar for a turn. Biggest let down was my librarian with warding stave. He rolled divination, the 4++ and the rerolls on himself (which I traded for the primaris), both of which I barely used as I forgot about them most turns.

 

Second game was against a 1750pts mixed wing dark angels army, 1 squad of tactical terminators, 1 3 man ravenwing, 2 tactical squads, a combat squad and 2 scout squads. I dropped my librarian and reduced the paladin squad to terminators to meet the points. Mission was the one where fast attack can score. Interceptors excelled, shooting then killing a tactical squad for a 4 VP objective. Psyflenaught was amazing, wrecking a razorback first turn due to 4 glances. My strike squad shot to death a unit of company veterans and his company master (in fairness, his dice were really unlucky in saving throws). My Dreadknight got stuck into the terminator unit, challenging first the sergeant and then the librarian, with my grandmaster and terminators joining the assault.

 

Both games really hammered home to me just how much of a force multiplier the grandmaster is (I used re-roll ones to wound in both, and managed to get 3 units for it in both - interceptors, strike squad, terminator squad). Our 5+ deny the witch is also really useful. We remain a major shooting army at mid range, even without psybolts (in my planned tournament list, everything 10 man has them), but are capable of assaulting when the need arises.

 

However, out of all this a question has arisen. I was planning to add a second psyfleman to my force. However, given that I did struggle to kill terminators in volume, I wonder if I would be wiser going for a dreadnought with a plasma cannon and twin linked autocannon instead. I wouldn't get psybolts for this one, as they become less points efficient (and the 5 saved allow me to take my grandmaster in 1500pts instead of the librarian), but this still gives 1 strength 7 AP2 blast at 36", and 2 twin linked strength 7 AP4 shots at 48". Naturally for targeting vehicles, this one would focus on ground targets with lighter armour, which would free up my psyfleman for targeting heavy armour to glance to death, or shooting down fliers. I feel the increased versatility might make the lower strength and risk of an over heat (should happen once every 6 turns on average) worthwhile. What do you think?

[Zeratil]

Plasma cannon's certainly got better with the cover save changes, but not hugely so. They're still going to scatter and TH/SS termies still get their 3++ saves against them. The best thing to do against termies with pure Grey Knights I find is just to put as many wounds on them as possible and watch them fail their 2+ saves. Granted the plasma cannon may do it a little faster, but it's worse against vehicles (scatter, str 7 and only 1 possible hit, 'only' 36" range and overheat). Not to say that plasma is awful, Having a las/plas razorback can put some wounds on those termies and give your enemy more targets to concentrate on, or maybe plasma cannons on servitors if you take an inquisitor I feel are both better choices now than in 5th.

[Gentlemanloser]

Doesn't Get's Hot effect vehicles now?

 

You lose a hull point on a 1, don't you?

 

I wouldn't touch a Plasma Cannon on a vehicle because of it.

[Zeratil]

If you roll a one to attack, you roll a second dice, 1-3 you take a glancing hit. Okay for twin linked plasma guns, less good for single plasma cannons, although it's still only a 1/12 chance.

[Abaddonshand]

Doesn't Get's Hot effect vehicles now?

 

You lose a hull point on a 1, don't you?

 

I wouldn't touch a Plasma Cannon on a vehicle because of it.

 

Plasma cannon overheats can cause glances, but only once per game on average, which was a risk I'm seriously willing to consider.

 

 

If you roll a one to attack, you roll a second dice, 1-3 you take a glancing hit. Okay for twin linked plasma guns, less good for single plasma cannons, although it's still only a 1/12 chance.

 

After reading this, which I missed in my first read through of the new rules, the risk of a plasma overheat actually causing a glance is pretty unlikely. Happening on average once every 2 games makes me certain a plasma cannon is the way to go for terminator killing fun.