Theoretical on rapier batteries

[spu00sed]

I was thinking about rapier weapon batteries and how to deploy and arm them.

 

number of platforms[\b]

With a battery of one to three guns you have, oddly enough, three options

 

One gun, used to plink away at specific targets.

Advantage. It is cheap and not wasted if then enemy doesn't bring it's target, or the target is destroyed.

Disadvantage, can take a long time to destroy target, in which time the target can be damaging you

 

Three guns

More expensive than one gun, but with a focused fire it will put down a target

Disadvantage, very expensive and can end up not dong very much (like las cannon devastators vs an Ork horde).

Has to focus fire, compare to several independent rappers. Though it only takes up one elite choice.

 

Two guns

A balance between the two options

 

weapons[\b]

Quad heavy bolter

Despite its name it doesn't put out that much firepower. With 4 link linked shots.

3 of them put out 12 twin linked shots.

 

For 15 points more you have have a heavy weapon squad that puts out 15 shots.

 

The rappers have, on average an extra 2/3 hits per turn and T7. The heavy weapon squad can take better advantage of cover and lose less fire power for each model lose.

 

Overall I prefer the heavy weapon squad.

 

Laser destroyer array

It loses 1/4 of the range of a lascannon for twin linked, AP1 and ordnance on the armour pen roll.

 

This weapon has one purpose and that is to destroy tanks. A quad las cannon would be more versatile, but since the rapier is an artillery piece I'm glad they went for he destroyer array.

 

A 3 strong battery is one of the few ranged options to take on a flare shield spartan.

 

Thudd gun

4 3" blasts a turn wounding marines on 3s, with barrage. This hung can throw enough wounds on any squad to get pass power armour, even cataphractii plate. Much better than the quad heavy bolter.

 

Graviton cannon

Very expensive and kind of a multiuse weapon. However it is wounding marines on 5s and allow armour saves. It does put any squad it hits in dangerous and difficult terrain for a turn so it can slow down enemy squads.

 

It is also the other ranged weapon that can deal with a spartan, with its haywire ability.

 

 

builds[\b]

Single destroyer array

Used to snipe any transports or light tanks

 

One or two thudd guns

Pile wounds on a squad and make them take a bucket of saves, then die. Three would be overkill

 

Two or three graviton cannons.

Three should kill a standard tank a turn, on average, but cost over 200 pts. They can also put pressure on marine squads, and stop assaults.

 

Two or three destroyer arrays

Aim at land raiders and predator squadrons, with plus two on the pen table, they should be able to put down a heavy tank, and are cheaper than the graviton battery.

 

One or two destroyer arrays and a graviton cannon

You will strip a hull point off of anything and have a good chance to blow it up. Should be aimed at land raiders, Spartans an super heavies.