Tactical Terminators

[Charlo]

Hey Brothers,

 

I know you can't beat a good bit of 3++ with a thunderhammer, but has anyone had success running the old storm fist termies?

 

They have such nice flavour and with a cyclone missile or AC do they do enough damage to justify an elites slot/ the points?

 

Any tips, tricks, dos/don't will do, post your thoughts below!

[Zeller]

Despite being one of my favorite units in the game they have almost always disappointed me in their performance. The shooting is mediocre and in melee they get stomped by nobz, meganobz, or other units with so many attacks it's beyond reason for the weapon they have, or of course those units that have AP 2 weapons like the old DE archons.  

 

That said, I only have experience with the 5x TDA: sergeant, assault cannon, and chainfist build. When looking at the elites slot I look at a Furioso dreadnought with twin powerfists first. Frankly, I feel the tactical terminators are a wildcard unit especially with their 5++ and all the reliability that entails. The dreadnought can get stuck in with scarier things and damage it pretty reliably, can be immune to certain squads, and is a tad cheaper. From my experience I think deep striking TDA squads is one of the best options. I'm sure most people would laugh at that.

 

I don't know what to say really. Simply put they're just not great. I have yet to run a cyclone squad though so that might be interesting. Even so, for that role I'd rather take 3 MMAB.

[Shaezus]

Haven't used tac termies but - or rather, because - I've never quite been able to visualize their role. My £0.02 worth: loads more MCs out there now, lethal to tac termies but THSS are more than a match for them. As Zeller mentioned, BA have strong competition in the elite slots; Furiosos with frag cannons, corbulo and / or priests - there go 3 slots straight away.

 

So what can tactical terminators do that cannot be done just as well or better, and at lower points, cost by something else?

[ElectricPaladin]

I like them too, because they're neat and iconic and stylish. I put my Space Hulk set on bases, even though it weirds the game slightly.

That said, I have actually had some success with tactical terminators. The thing to remember about them is that they are still designed for close in work. If you consider the storm bolter to be two additional attacks that strike at Initiative 10 (and... allow cover saves... I do see how it doesn't apply perfectly), then you can see the utility. The squad's actual melee attacks may be stuck at Initiative 1, but the fact that you get to thin your opponent out a bit first with some shooting will help your terminators - with their limited number of attacks and slow but hard-hitting weapons - to win the eventual melee.

Does that make them better then assault terminators? Absolutely not. I'd still rather have a super durable unit with a 3++ that can slug it out in extended combats, because that's what all the marine codices lack (the 5+ FNP is just icing on the cake). It does make them more versatile, at the cost of making them more of an bully and less of an elite-killer. Whether that's worth it for 200 points, plus whatever it costs for the special weapon you put in (probably an assault cannon, but maybe a heavy flamer for ZM or Cities of Death style games?) still depends on what else is in your list and your playstyle.

For my part, I used to run tactical terminators in the Exorcists army I used to have. They were a lot of fun, and they often delivered. Dakka can be a great advantage, such as the time that they managed to take down the Baron (or whatever Dark Eldar character there was who had a ridiculous save that went away once he'd taken one wound) by forcing enough saves that he failed one to shooting, then got doubled out by a power fist.

It's worth noting that Blood Angels tactical terminators have the same weird assault scornergy that Blood Angels hammernators suffer from - going from Strength 8 to Strength 9 isn't really all that important unless you're punching tanks, which you're only going to be doing once in a while. So while you still want to put a priest with them for that tasty 5+ FNP, you're not getting quite as much back from your investment.

[j-smuv]

I just built my tactical terminators, and have only gotten a few games in with them so far.  They are fun, but as others have said, they take up a valuable elite slot.  And they require some buffs to be scary.  Like a sanguinary priest (another elite) or a librarian. 

 

In a unbound list recently I went all in and gave them a sanguinary priest, librarian, and reclusiarch; all in terminator armor.  I combat-squaded them:  libby with the 2 special weapons (cyclone and assault cannon) and priest and reclusiarch with 5 chumps.  Then I teleported them in.   They did pretty well considering, but I had dumped so many points in the unit that they were one of the only things on the board and could easily be focus fired.  Basically BA are always outnumbered, but with so few models, it felt like a massive disadvantage and I never was able to climb my way out.  And I rreeeally felt their lack of mobility. 

 

So I have been running them in smaller units, and they are more fun in a support role, not a feature role.  They definitely are not the optimized choice, but who cares?  If we wanted it easy we'd be playing eldar.

[Xenith]

Theyre a nice unit, but very expensive. In their current form, I think they should be a little cheaper, or TDA should grant a 4++ as standard. I'm still going to make up 10 and a priest at some point and have them walk across the board.

[Brother dean]

I (generally) own Nobz and Meganobz because I get a 5++ and they dont.  If I pull off the charge then the attacks deficit is eliminated and power klaws are I1 along with my fists so we are going at the same time.  

Now they are slow unless you invest in an expensive transport or surrender to a bit of irregularity but I will happily add on a squad or two to make weight to my 1500 list if you brought a 1750 or 2k list.

[ElectricPaladin]

Theyre a nice unit, but very expensive. In their current form, I think they should be a little cheaper, or TDA should grant a 4++ as standard. I'm still going to make up 10 and a priest at some point and have them walk across the board.

 

Ally in AM or Sororitas and have an ecclesiarchy priest walk with them. Now you're rerolling you 2+ save and you have a 5+ FNP. Tasty.

[Jolemai]

In my opinion, Tactical Terminators shouldn't have a transport as every turn they are in a transport, they are not shooting. (For Assault Terminators one should definitely include a delivery system but that's a different thread).

 

Either teleport in a small squad with a Heavy Flamer or go large with twin Cyclones and march across the board. Close combat with a Tactical Terminator should be considered a bonus. Add a Priest (or Corbulo to tank) and a Librarian with Divination if you have the points.

 

Basically, for Blood Angels, Terminators require you to build a list around them.

[Bartali]

In my opinion, Tactical Terminators shouldn't have a transport as every turn they are in a transport, they are not shooting. (For Assault Terminators one should definitely include a delivery system but that's a different thread).

 

Either teleport in a small squad with a Heavy Flamer or go large with twin Cyclones and march across the board. Close combat with a Tactical Terminator should be considered a bonus. Add a Priest (or Corbulo to tank) and a Librarian with Divination if you have the points.

 

Basically, for Blood Angels, Terminators require you to build a list around them.

 

It's how I've run them in the past. Corbulo, Librarian, Allied Coteaz and 10x Tactical Terminators w/ 2x CML, 2x CF.

 

Corbulo out front makes them much more durable for up to S7 AP4 shots and with the right combo of psychic powers on top they can get pretty darn tasty.