To Krak, or not to Krak?

[Jolemai]

The scenario is, your rank and file unit is in combat with an MC. You can wound it with your regular attacks on a roll of six, or you can elect to switch them all out for that single Krak Grenade attack.

 

What do you "tell" your squad to do? Do you go for quality, quantity or a mix of both?

[minigun762]

The scenario is, your rank and file unit is in combat with an MC. You can wound it with your regular attacks on a roll of six, or you can elect to switch them all out for that single Krak Grenade attack.

 

What do you "tell" your squad to do? Do you go for quality, quantity or a mix of both?

Assuming they have a 3+ save or better and are T6.

 

Basic attacks will wound once for every three krak grenade wounds, so unless you have 3+ attacks, krak them.

[Master Antaeus]

What kind of rank and file unit are we talking about?  Are they space wolves/carcharodons with a bazillionty attacks each, or are they tactical marines with a single attack.  Let's say they get 2 attacks base and aren't charging and that they are 8 of them versus a carnifex.

 

16 attacks

8 hits

1 wound + change.

Probably saves.

 

8 attacks with grenades

4 hit

2 wounds

Much less likely to save twice.

 

With single swing tacs, that's no choice at all, just don't use your teeth to pull the pin.

[Mike Zulu]

Basic Mathhammer will tell you that 3 close combat attacks per model is statistically the same as 1 krak grenade per model, assuming the Monstrous Creature is Toughness 6 and has a 3+ save at worst, which most of them are.

 

Most often this occurs if you charge the Monstrous Creature with an ordinary close combat unit (such as an Assault Squad or Crusader Squad), in which case I go for weight of attacks. With less attacks, I go for krak grenades.

 

Edit: well, I got ninja'd hard,

[minigun762]

Edit: well, I got ninja'd hard,

Great minds think alike though!

[Teetengee]

Keep in mind that differential distributions matter to, also your desired outcome (full death, locked in...)

Let's say you roll 4 attacks that have a 1/2 chance of an unsaved wound or you can roll 12 attacks with a 1/6 chance (just random numbers here).

The 4 attacks are more likely to get 1+ successful wounds (94%) versus 12 attacks (89%). They are also more likely to get 2+ attacks. But if you NEED 3 or more wounds past then the 12 attacks are the better option (32% versus 31%). These sort of distributional effects can vary quickly and have some nonintuitive results.

[Captain Idaho]

Armour save makes a difference. If you ignore the armour save, go for that attack. Not that there are many monstrous creatures with a 4+ save but bear it in mind.

[Teetengee]

Yeah when armour save matters you need even more attacks to even up the chances. (For expected values to be the same you need 3x the attacks to be even if 3+ or better, 6x the attacks if 4+, 4.5x the attacks if 5+, and 3.6x the attacks if 6+.)

[MisterDutch]

(assuming your models strike at S4, against AV10 or T6)

 

Unless a single model could make at least 3 attacks instead of that single krak attack, it's almost always better to use the krak grenades. Taking armour saves into the equation just makes krak grenades even better than regular attacks.